The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-16
GOOD ROADS NOTES.
Bad Roads Responsible.
Bad ROADS RespOnsibIe,
Down from his wheel he swiftly sped,
And lit upon his luckless head.
He mounted, and rod on apace,
Then fell, and lit upon his face.
Again he tried and fell and here
He lit upon his other ear.
And then he lit, an angry wreck, q.
Upon the Road Repairer's neck.
Relation of Health to the Roads.

Wnen the agitation Tor better high
ways was inaugurated by wheelmen,
the general impression of the com.
munity was that good roads would
benefit cyclists alone, and that the
measure was purely selfish on their
part. Thereupon they set about to
show that other classes Of the popula-
ton would gain as much, and in many
cases more than they would, by hay
ing the roads improved. Other pub
lic-spirited and far-seeing persons
joined hands with them, and it was
soon demonstrated that every class in
the community would gain by having
good roads.
For the most part the gains that
would be secured were shown to be of
pecuniary or social nature, affecting
the industries, pastimes and ordinary
conditions of life, butmedical men are
now prepared to show that good roads
have an intimate connection with the
preservation Of general health, the un-
impaired action Of the senses and the
possibility of prompt assistance to the
sick and injured. The Importance of
clean city streets is more than ever
appreciated, and the value of good and
clean country roads is beginning to
receive the attention it deserves.
Writing on this subject in the New
York Medical Journal, DR.. Lucien
Howe says that las rule easy trans
portation and good roads are in direct
proportion to low rate of blindness,
while bad roads mean a higher ratio.
It is unnatural to suppose that this
disease (opthalmia neonatorum) or any
other is more common in the country
than among an urban population; it
probably is not. But it is true that
more precautions are taken in the city
than in the country against this prin-
cipal cause of blindness, and that this
and other diseases Of the eyes are, in
general, more promptly and regularly
treated.
"This is not the fault of one class of
practitioners as much as it is the re-
suit of the environment of others, for
in the vicinity of large cities it is pos
slble for nurses or friends to take q
child at once to physician without
much inconvenience or exposure, and
where the facilities for travel are great,
the mother herself can very soon at.
tend to this. This undoubtedly les
sens the proportion of blind in and
near the cities. On the other hand,
where the distances are great and the
roads poor, the patients are usually
seen late and often only at intervals.
That is why bad roads mean o high
percentage of blindness"
On the same general subject, DR.,
b. J. Overend says: II feel safe in
affirming that there is very large an
nual mortality due to the delay in sue
coring the sick and injured by reason
OF bad roads that alike impede the mes
senger sent for the doctor, and the doc
tor on his way to the patient. To 90
into detail on this subject is out of the
question. One could easily fill vol
ume in its exposition, Suffice it to
say that all cases, in sense, are emer-
gency cases. The adage a stitch in
time saves nine is as true in medicine
as in tailoring. The bad road stands
as barrier to public health as we'll as
to trade and travel"