The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-12-08

i UNI WIG NlAEENNANk VIlEllB ~
Medical Association, Wednesday
tsYeniAgs SoysnbeF 1QLh 1885 by
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THANKS ior 'ne invitation 70, 70 au'
dress. .you'at this time.
l know northeme thatlseems to
me more deserving Of your careful
Rcoasideration and attention than
lthe YRublic Health" As physi.
clans, as healets oi the sick, you
lhaye much TO do with the restora.
tion Of this priceless. boon when
once lost 10 the individual. As
sanatarians; as'conseryators oithe
public health, a broader field is
opened to your view. Il has been
we'll and wisely said that public
health Is public wealth. A prop
osition to which in a general way
allare willing 10 assent; butitis not
often that one sits down 10 count
the cost oindlviduals and the state
OF the sickness and death which
prevails among US. II is said, and
] think correctly, that one disease
alone-typboid fever-costs the
lives OF 25,OOO individuals in the
United States every year. Now in
estimating the value to the coun.
try Of the yearly tide Of immigra-
tion that pouts upon our shores,
they are supposed to be worth To
The country something like $1,000
a piece, Let US TO be within
bounds, estimate the value Of the
25,OW persons dying yearly Of ty-
phoid fever at one.balf this amount,
and it gives US the sum of $12,500.
600. Now in this estimate, no
count is made of the cost of an av-
erasc Of three weeks sickness, med.
ical bills and DOCTORS fees, with all
the incidental expenses Of nursing,
mot to speak Of the enormous cost
of 25,OOO funerals. Nor is this all,
for to each death of typhoid fever
is to be added the fact that for
every death there is to be counted
at least FIVE cases that recover from
The same disease, after an illness
varying from three weeks to three
months, which gives us the mum.
Der Of l25,00O cases, against which
is to be charged the expense of loss
'of time for three weeks at The most
moderate alCulation-medicul bills
again and doctors fees; with
charges for nursing and other Incl.
dental expenses. Truly, for this
one disease we have footed up quite
u bill for the dear public to pay.
Now this is but one disease there
are several others which might
claim equal attention, and make
an equal draw on the public purse.
And yet this costly disease, costly
in health and costly in money, is a
preventable disease, one from which
a community may be saved. Yer.
lily, II looks as ifall a mans labor
and energy would be required to
meet the demands made upon him
BY diaease, whether in escaping
from it, or in dying Of it. Having
estimated the average value Of each
person to the State at $500, it is
safe to rate each adult at $780,
Now it is estimated that 100000
persons die in the United States
each year from all causes; if this be
true, and II is reasonable TO believe
it 10 be true, the loss is not less
from this cause than sl50,OOO,OO0.
Again, the productive power Of the
individual is estimated at sos, and
it is also estimated that we have
always about 100000 sick; if this
bo true, IL involves a loss to the
country Of sl42,5Oo,OOO, making q
grand total of loss to the country
from sickness and death Of s242,. !.
100000 a year. Now it is safe to
say that from and economic point