Morning journal and courier., 1891-10-15

The old Sanftarian Is Alarmed at the Rise of the Death Rate and Shows the Need of More Power and Moro Money.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 In consequence of the revelations of san- itary science, the Connecticut state board of health came into existence in 1878. The direct cost to the taxpayers of that board has been about $50, 900. Its indirect cost has been several times that sum. For the thirteen years since 1878 the average an nual death rate has been 17.04 per thou sand. For the thirteen years immediately preceding 1878 the average annual death rate was 16.00 per thousand. No one will deny these facts, but there is a wide diff ference of opinion in regard to their i'm port.
 Narrow-minded men, like Dr. Dibble, who are ignorant of Sanitary Science, will say that this rise in the death rate shows the utter worthlessness of sanitary the ories. lie will probably also say that the citizens of Connecticut, misled by carla- tans, have subjected themselves to great annoyance, with the sole result of an in- crease both in private and public expenses and rise in the rate of mortality. But to the broad and enlightened mind of Scientist these statistics show that | had it not been for the labors of our State | Sanitarians the death rate might have been | 30 per ,00O. So far as the salaries of | the Scientists are concerned, that should not be considered, because they need that | money for the support of themselves and | families. The apparent rise in the death l rate is due to the cause which was recent | ly lucidly described by my friend and ,fel | low -sanitarian, the secretary of the state | board of health, to-wit, the diminution oi the professional business of those learned and noble philanthropists who are both physicians and sanitarians. The profes sional business which we lose, because we are hated by "wealthy landlords" and oth. CTS who are enemiea of the public health by | reason of their ignorance, is gained by ar inferior class of physicians. Hence tn, death rate steadily rises. Close to my house an unsanitary doctor has his office I have forgotten more than he ever knew I can poirt out more sources of microbes | and more unsanitary ash heaps, full ot what our learned secretary calls ''undis covered micro organisms, ," in one houl than he can in month. Yet, sad to say the public are so prejudiced against US sanitarians, that he has ten times as many patients as I do. No wonder the deatl rate goes up.
 This fearful state of affairs require remedial legislation. The function of th' Sanitary law makers is to protect thu people from their own ignorance and folly If the masses are so blind that they vii not voluntarily employ us, they must b. compelled to do so This is simply logi cal step in the direction in which othe sanitary measures have been employed ant conclusively shown to be benefcent publi policy.
 The true way would be to pass law ab solutely forbidding any physician not ia miliar with the habits of undiscovered micro organisms" from practising medi cine. But, as the people are not yet edu cated up to that point, the most praotica ble course would be to ask the leRislatur, to enact that, ''in cases of severe illness nc one but sanitary physician shall be called in consultation" This law should be en forced by heavy criminal penalties. In fact, no one should be allowed t practice medicine at all without icens from the State Board of Health, and notic of this license should be put under th professional sign just as the swill men nov have tag on their carts. A doctors sigl would then read:
 ''W. Parker, M D., | License No. 1900, B. of H."
 This would add dignity to the profession and diminish the death rate. It woult also give us More Power and More Money
 AN OLD SANITARIAN.