Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-08
ONE GOOD PHASE.
Prince Rudolph a. . Sanitary Reformer


Paris Correspondent Philadelphia Telegrsph.
There is one phase Of Prince Rudolph's char
acter which can recall with pleasure. well
remember how, in the unavoidable absence Of
his majesty, the emperor of Austria, the crown
prince graciously received the members of the
great international congress Of hygiene and
demography which met in Vienna at the end Of
September, 1887. At the brilliant opening GER
emony held in the great hall of music the crown
prince delivered an inaugural address which,
in few terse sentences, showed how well he
had grasped the situation. cannot, per-
haps, render better homage to his memory
than by recalling some of the wise remarks
he made on this historic and important occa-
sion. The prince insisted on the value each
individual life represents, and urged that to
preserve life intact to its furthest possible
limit is not only a command Of humanity, but
also the duty of every community in its own
interest. But the prince added-and this re-
mark, coming from such a source, had great
political significance. that whatever means
may be at our disposal to protect our own in
dividual welfare, left to ourselves we are pow
erless in the face of the general injurious infu-
ences with which nature surrounds us on all
sides. Here only common action can be of
avail; and this great task is undertaken by n.y.
giene, supported by demography. tits hygiene
placed on a scientific basis which enables legis-
latOrs TO OBTAIN practlcal results on the extern
sive field of health administration" Thus
Prince Rudolph clearly proclaimed the neces-
sity of state Intervention for the application
of the laws of health. Yet he did not ignore
the gigantic nature of this task, and the
pledge of government assistance was not given
lightly, for the prince recognized that sanitary
science comprised ''every phase of social life
the dwelling house and the school, production
and war, the city and the village, trade and in
dustry." Nor is this all. Prince Rudolph
went a step further. and this was a very i'm
portant advance. He admitted that. just as the
individual could not save himself unless with
the aid of the state, so was the state dependent
upon other states. 1t was, therefore, not only
national but international legislation that was
necessary. For this reason it gave him special
pleasure to preside at SO great and
truly international a gathering. do
not know what more could be ex-
pected from q prince who then promised
to be the future ruler of a great empire, than
such declarations and the pledges these SEN
fences contain. Our only regret is that he has
not lived to carry out these fair promises. All
that hygienists can desire is conceded in this
speech. When. at the great reception given at
the Hofburg or imperial palace Of Vienna, the
crown prince entertained all the members of
the congress, mingling freely among his guests
and conversing with the leading delegates of
the different nationalities, he displayed con-
siderable knowledge and interest in natural
sciences. What Prince Rudolph said in private
went far to confirm his public and official
promises. Undoubtedly the cause of hygiene
has experienced heavy loss in the person of
this enlightened and progressive prince.