Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-01
An Institution About Which People
Generally Know Very Little.
HOW THE PLAN ORIGINATED.
Ex-Surgeon General Wales First Pro.
posed the Scheme, and IL IL Now an
Important Attachment Of the Navy
Department.
EALTH seems to be very generally for

| OF speed and activity. He would appear to
nave forgotten the fact that he has body that
needs attention quite as much as his purse
needs replenishing, and, although he is not ct
all 10th to 60 to physician when he is ill, and
even though he shows proper amount of pre-
caution as to the simpler rules Of daily life, to
bis proper temperature and. in Q few isolated
| cases, his food, yet he is as race totally
| ignorant Of the application other than for the
making Of money Of the rules Of what is called
hygiene" to himself and his surroundings.
This thing, hygiene, seems to be sort Of bug
bear, COMPOUNDED only too often with long bills
| and patent medicines, quite misunderstood by
| the masses OF the people, and indeed feared in
many quarters as something mysteriously dam
| gerous and possibly contagious. II is not a
| disease, it is not system Of banting or anti
lean, it is not a course of training with a con-
sequent starvation diet, it is not even q school
OF medicine. 1t is simply the study of how to
teach men to lead cleaner, purer, more health
| ful lives, amid less dangerous surroundings
and IN the least injurious OF atmospheres. 1t
| is, to quote from the work Of person named
webster, who once wrote one Of the largest
volumes ever published with sworn circula-
| ton OF countless thousands, "that department
OF medical science which treats Of the preeer-
Walton OF health, a system of principles or rules
designed for the promotion Of health"
THE aoDMoTHER OF THE SCIENCE OF HEALTH.
The Greeks had among their dieties a god
dess, who has the honor of being the godmother
| OF this science, by the name of Hygiea, q most
delightful individual, if the portraits of her in
the old fashion plates that are still to be seen
| in the neurological blue books are 1T all accu-
rate There are conflicting reports extant as
to her exact relations with our old friend DR..
Esculapius, some folks inclining to the belief
that she was his daughter, while Others proba-
bly, her colleagues IN the church sewing So
clety, stoutly maintained that she was his wife.
At all events, she has the rank of founder OF
one Of the most valuable branches Of science
that has ever been pursued and developed.
There is a fine line Of demarkation between
medicine proper and hygiene that indicates
very clearly as soon as it is well understood
exactly what is included by the latter. Medi-
cine tries to cure when hygiene has been SO
far disregarded as to cause disease. while, con-
versely, hygiene is doing its best all the time to
keep medicine out Of practice. That is to say,
without hyperbole, that hygiene is the study
Of how to ward off physical troubles that can
be prevented, OF how to live, how to build,
how to dress, how to eat and, to q minor de-
gree, what to eat. No, it would perhaps be
well to correct the latter statement by max
ing it read, what not to eat, and also what not
to drink.
The latter has no relation with any Of the
current temperance problems that are worry
original beverage, water. Bad water is the
bane Of man, and it is to the end of finding out
just what waters are bad that
HYGIENE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.
These few statements have been made simply
in order to introduce to the readers Of The
STAR an institution Of which probably over SO
per cent of Washingtonians are quite unac-
quainted, and yet which could easily be made
one Of the most useful schools Of practical in
At1n 10 q Nf
branch OF the medical service Of the navy, that
has been in existence in this city for about
eight years without having become known ex-
cept to very few persons. Indeed, SO isolated
is this establishment, in reputation only, how
ever, that the mention Of its name Immediately
causes the inquiry: why, l never heard of it.
Where is it?"
The answer to the question should be boon
to every man or woman who is thinking of
building house, every person who imagines
that he is being poisoned by sewer gas
other domestic venom, every architect, every
plumber, every student of the chemistry of
life, every physician, every housekeeper think
ing of buying new wall papers or new floor
coverings. In fact, there is scarcely a branch
of the whole round of human existence that is
not affected by the line of study that is being
carried on at this museum. 1t is located on
New York avenue, few doors west of 18th
street, and just beyond the State, War and
Navy Depar tment building, in a well-preserved
high. Here also is the naval medical dis
pensary, but
THE TWO ARE ENTIRELY DISTINCT.
In the year 1882 DIR. Philip S. Wales con-
ceived the idea of establishing branch of the
naval medical service, of which he was then
the head, wherein Investigations could be con-
Quoted into matters relating directly to the
health of the navy as regards hygiene and its
ramifcations. There had been numerous cases
| where the health of officers and men on shore
stations had been sadly injured by impure
waters; again, where there were suspicious that
colorlng matters were being used in the uni
forms supplied to the service which were
furious, and many other problems were to be
| solved that required a special plant and a corps
of trained workers. Accordingly an order
issued from the department creating the
museum Of hygiene, which was located in the
same building as the dispensary at the corner
of 18th and q streets. Here, in a small space
and unprovided with facilities for work.
| started the institution that today offers won
derful opportunities for original research into
the questions of life AID that possesses natural
advantages that are unequaled except, per-
haps, in the metropolis.
MUSEUM OF HYGIENE.
In his circular calling attention to the pros
pectus of the museum-for which Congress-, in
1882, appropriated s., 500-Dr. Wales said:
1.-The plan, briefly described, comprehends
collection that shall be illustrative of the entire
range OF sanitary science, the establishment of
q course of lectures by authoritative sanItarians
from all sections Of the country and o library
of sanitary science accessible, under proper re-
| strictions and guarantees, to all who are en-
gagged in the study of this branch of knowl ledge
This library already numbers many of the
standard sanitary works i'll the English, French
and German languages and is constantly in
| creasing."
An excellent idea Of the scope that it was in
| tended to give the museum, and, indeed, IN a
very accurate degree that of the present day
institution, may be obtained from the schedule
of topics set forth in the first circular being
the general plan of the enterprise:
A.-DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND COM
FORT.
Glass Local Hygiene.--Sub-class 1.-Soil:
a. Geological and physical character Of locali-
ties. b. Thermality. c. Permeability by gases
and water. d Micro-organisms.
Sub-class 2-Atmosphere: a. Chemical COM
position. b. Abnormal tituents-chemical,
microscopical c. Physical properties-hu-
Nudity, heat, electricity, winds, weight.
Sub-class 3-Architecture: q. Dwellings. b.
Hospitals medical establishments, infrmaries,
educational purposes, refugees, reformatories
d. Schools Of all degrees, and their equipment
Factories, laboratories Chemical, powder,
fireworks), metallurgic works, workshops. f.
Vaults, morgues, mortuaries burial of the
dead and cremation. g. Movable dwellings,
| tents, shelters. h Materials Of construction.
devices. Walls. prevention OF the rise of
damp through foundations and wallis k. Gel
lars, surface drainage. l. Wood floors for use