The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-24
The Waste of Life.

The conservation OF energy III udiuit was
the new note Of physical science not many
wears ago. The latest deliyerance OF SAM
| fary science is that bad health is a waste OF
hnman life. something has been done 10
arrest the graycr mischiefs of our system OF
| budding together in cities and workshops.
sanitation has almost secured the hOn0fs oil
a new god in an agnOstic age. state medl-
cine, unfortunately, has involved the IDEA
that everything may be accomplished by
cOmpulsiOn. and that the sphere OF lndlN luu-
al effort is limited and Insignificant, so lhat
we have 10 correct tendency almost be-
fore we have established a science. But. IN
spite of this detection from the true pain,
we are making steady advance. and, what
is almost rs important we are interesting
the general public in questions OF disease
and health.
The influenza epidemic was a remarkable
lesson. II showed Us that the negligence
Of one part of the world is visited upon
another part. We may have learnt this IN
cities, where poorer quarters spread out
their epidemics To the districts inhabited by
the rich. Cholera from Mecca has also been
an object lesson in transmission. The hol-
ness Of dirt has been followed by the waste
Of disease The rapid spread OF cholera Just
now i'm Spain j. another lntimatlOn OF
truth scarcely To be found in sir Thomas
Crawford's address at the sanitary lnsti-
tute- namely. that the rapidity OF COM
municatiOn and the increased amount OF
international intercourse have Just about
counterbalanccd the advances Of sanitary
science. In days of wretchcd sanitation
there Was more stagnatiOn amongst
the people. They kept 10 their
towns. and they did not travel
abroad in great numbers either for
piety or pleasure. Fewer letters and par
eds were conveyed. Germs Of disease stood
better chance of wasting themselves out
i'm one or two spots, and wise men knew
how 10 avoid them. Butnow we get IN
fluenZa from disease-gerns IN emma, or
cholera from a ship that has touched at an
injected port, or smallpox from rags that
NAV have been the picturesque adornment
of a beggar who would have made the for
tune of an artist. IL j. idle to attempt TO
check human intercourse by guarantees
and cOrdOns. rs sir Joseph fayrer laid down;
| but we must deal with the individual, de-
| strOy the germs Of infection. and prevent
the growth Of favorable media in heaps Of
dead materials. Sir Thomas Crawiord's
new categorical Imperative is-">tarye
the micrObe, and save the man.
The waste Of disease Is telling point. IL
touches the pocket, and brings common
sense TO the aid Of science. The loss TO the
army by sickness is equal. we are told, TO
"A force of l0,1l6 men, and at : week the
| loss from sickness in the army amounted TO
the very considerable sum Of t5j,, D." In
evil life the loss by sickness is put at about
twenty million weeks work in the year, 'or
about one-fortieth part OF the work done in
the yearOf the whole population between
| the ages Of fifteen and slXty-iye. sir
| Thomas Crawford described this total loss
as IA river Of national waste of almost III
calculable value. daily and mighty passing
| Il. xkIsf sh n
gent effort ought 10 be able TO stem"
| Waste of life means waste Of
money, Of cheerfulness. Of natiOnal yigor
and expansion. our recruits, our gaOls,
our refOrmatOry institutions, our yagrant
and mendicaut classes, all supply evidence
/ Of physical deterioration. Civilization VIII
devOur her own children unless knowledge
and personal effort come TO the rescue. The
| type will change. PhyslognOmists point TO
| EliZabethan and Victorian portraits and
declare that il has changed already. Faces
are less broad. they say; chins are mar
rover, eyes are smaller. heads are less
round. shoulders are more angular, and the
pOise of power has given place 10 the weak
| ness OF hesitation and want Of will. Per-
| haps things are not 80 bad as this, but the
working class has suffered more than the
middle and upper classes, as a walk In the
streets Of any manufacturing town VIII
serve 10 show.
| 10 avert this waste we must devote our
energies 10 more matters than mere san tia
ton. aud have more faith in social and less
| in state enforcement. Here we are wasting
twenty million weeks in year in sickness
while wOrkmen themselves want shorter
day of labor. Cannot we unite our hopes
| and forces. Long hours, under unhealthy
conditions, lead to lassitude, and the drink
crave follows as IA matter of course, with ali
the other demons that come in its train. In
| iuenZa-germ. chOlera-germ, and every other
kind OF germ find their opportunity in an
enfeebled body. Given higher standard OF
health, we might save three fOurths Of the
twenty million weeks, turn out more salts
factory work, aud have more time for recre-
alton. An eighthours' day has thus the
sanction of sanitary science behind il. 1t
| would do something TO prevent that waste
of human life which runs by US like a river
rich with dead mems souls."-Pall-Nlall
Gazette.