The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-21
Address of President Sexton to the
Mississippi Physicians.
Vital Statistics Demanded In the
Interest of the Public.
Wise Words of Man OF Science
and Comm On Sense.
The Grand Duty That Lies Before tho
Medical Men OF tho State
Needed Legislation
Outlined.


address OF President Luther Sexton, OF the
Mississippi Medical Association, in session
at Jackson last week:
"Let us turn for a moment from the
country TO the town, where we End the
crowded tenement.houscs and many pri-
vate dwellings built more with view to
the per cent. on the money invested than
to the laws OF sanitary science. II is ut
terly impossible for the occupants to be
clearly, healthy or happy, and well nigh
impossible for them TO be modest, chasto
or virtuous. Children born amid such
surroundings are at once received into the
arms and tutelage OF the three furies of
this ago-filth, disease and vice.
Public ignorance Of the people and even
OF some physicians is appalling and it
only will be remcdied by constant lee.
lures, routine teaching in our public
schools and newspapers that these desired
ends are to be attained. believe that our
school boards in every community ought
TO select some competent physician 10 de-
liver regular courses OF lectures upon hy-
giene, to which parents as well Us children
ought TO be invited. II we would have
Mississippi keep step with our sister States
IN this regard, We must urge the subject OF
prevention OF disease, even to the point of
being called sanitary fanatics.
THAT public health Is public wealth Il
borne out by the few hgurcsof tremendous
significance stated by Us a few moments
ago; and Mark Hopkins was never moro
automatic than when he asserted Health
is absolutely essential TO happiness and 10
usefulness The few noted exceptions
In the worlds history only prove and not
disproyc the rule. TO guard health l. the
duty Of the physician and laity alike. To
discharge this duty the citizens OF the
commonwealth must have some knowledge
OF hygiene and physiology, a knowledge
much more easily obtained than that of
mythology 70 continually impaired in so
many colleges in our land.
"The time heretofore devoted 10 such
studies as mythology should be consc.
Grated TO hygiene aud nhvsiology which
are OF far vastcr importance, because OF
the influence upon iutrc generations.
The teachers in our public schools ought
90 be drilled in these studies and our laws
should require them 10 be diligently and
daily taught in our public schools. An
suspicious omen will be the awakening Of
the public mind upon the Importance OF
public health and tho dissemination OF
knowledge pertaining thereto.
"A step In the right direction wis taken
when the Legislature Of Mississippi en-.
dowcd the State Board Of Health with
ample power and liberal appropriations.
But we, the younger members OF the
Association can hardly conceive the enor-
nous amount Of labor, political wire work.
ing and diplomacy required 20 nc.
complish the passage Of this Ac.
comforting such boon upon the
medical profession and the whole
population OF the State. We should regard
the law as sacred. aud enshrine Il rs the
holy Of holies' OF our profession. Within
few years II has raised the standard Of
our profession fully 20 per cent; Il has
wecded out a large number Of quacks and
charlaians, who had been rcaping an
abundant harvest OF gain from the guilt
bility OF the average Mississippian, and
sowing the seed for a harvest OF even
greater abundance; and Il has given 10 the
public a class OF practitioners much better
equipped for this high and holy work than
would otherwise have been done. But
much remains 20 DO done by Ne In educat-
ing the people In these subjects aud in seq
ing that the public schools are made the
media for impartng needed Information
In hygiene and physiology. Lot US insist
upon is being done.
Permit me 10 retracc my steps aud
once more refer 10 the Law creating the
State Board Of Health, for upon this law
aud the standard established by our Board
Of Medical Examiners depends the great.
nes OF future medical men OF our State
aud the future greatness Of those now in
active practice. ! refer 10 this again be.
cause Il 10 through our health boards and
the persistent personal effort Of oyery
honest physician In the State Of Missis.
sippi that We are TO accomplish tho oh.
jccts no ncediul in the prevention Of dis
eases In Mississippi.
Though our State Boarl Of Health has
been OF advantage, It's operations would
have been much moro efficient had there
been an intelligent response and cordial
cooperation from the people NJ large. by
the assistance OF the public schools along
the line suggested, this response and CO.
operation will eventually BE- secured.
'In the meantime II will DO decidedly
advantageous 10 have u compulsory system
Of registration OF vital statistics. Public
hygiene grow out Of vital statistics, and It's
existence depends upon them. Every ar
gumeni for the creation and maintenance
OF our Board Of Health h based upon them
and upon vital statistics our boards must
make their record. Without them neither
our onsi accomplishments nor future work
can judged. Is not the human crop OF
moro importance, interest and value than
the crop Of cotton and cornl Yet from
every l0xl2 patent outside country cross
road newspaper we learn the szc OF the
cotton and corn crops and the current mar
kot prices Of those commodities, but We
look la vain through the columns OF the
most widely circulated and ably edited
papers In the state Of Mississippi Tor
a list Of marriages, births aud deaths or
any reliable Items concerning epidemic
diseases, or what efforts u any nie being
made 10 suppress the diseases. Nital STA
ustlcs, as some one has said furnish un'
crring lessons M 10 the health, prosperity
and morals oi people 1hoy teach US the
influence OF marriage over illcgumacy ana
immorallty, the fccnndity VI the people,
the number OF children and their vital
force; the duration Of life, s expectation
aud value for all ages and races, the iniiu-
cBce OF rhoteorology, locality, occupation,
IA rul ucl ~ lfuala. .ud ituuuyyfl3Alul