The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-01
HYGIENE AND
ITS IMPORTANCE
The Practical Results of the Study Of
This Subject.
THE TREAT MENT OF TYPHOID.
Tuberculosis as Seen in the Public
Schools. Vaccination Stamps Out
EGectuaily the Dreaded Dis
ease, Smallpox.
THE TREAT MENT OF TYPHOID.

10y 1870 1917
the age Of comprehension should have a
knowledge of the fundamental, anatomical
and physical facts Of his being. Every
parent should consider as the most neces-
sary Of all branches OF instruction for
themselves and for their children. that
which processes to acquaint them with the
conditions Of the existence they prize so
highly. which teaches them how to avoid
disease and to cherish health in them
selves d those who are dear to them.
10 understand the nature Of disease, We
must study health, and the understanding
Of the healthy body means having a
knowledge of its structure and Of the way
I'm which it's manifold actions are perform
ed, which Is what is technically termed
human anatomy Il human physiology.
THE OBJECT OF EDUCATION.
Our schools main object is to prepare
the pupils. rich and poor, for the constant
struggle of life and health. For his pur-
pose nothing can be Of greater help and
usefulness TO humanity than the teach
ings and general knowledge Of practical
hygiene, l.. e., causes of disease. their
method OF ingress and the available
means for their prevention. The latter,
especially. +. the push and whirl Of life,
are neglected. The best place and best
way to remedy this Is TO reach the masses
Of the people through the free public
schools. The good results to accrue to
our nation through a general knowledge
Of practical hygiene and physiology in
relation to disease production, cannot be
oveTestimated
TYPHOID FEVER.
For many years. typhoid fever has
had a Widespread nOtOriety in this
country. and has attracted a very consid-
cradle amount of attention. compelling
many communities. in sheer self-defence,
to take measures to control its destructive
inroads. Statistics Of the mortality from
typhoid fever within the past few years
are appalling in their significance. and
should tend to arouse even the most in
different to a sense Of the constant men
ace TO the public health exercised by this
fell disease. DR.. ]. G.. Hirth, Of Milwau-
kee. in the Medical Times, June. ls9S,
states that In 1896 il was shOwn by the
census that seventy-fve thousand deaths
had occurred directly and Indirectly from
typhoid. In Philadelphia. the first three
months of the year 1898, witnessed the
death of one thousand seven hundred and
thirteen of IT'S Inhabitants from the same
malady. and at the present. a violent ep-
idemic Of typhoid is playing havoc in that
city.
DEATH AMONG SOLDIERS.
The awful ~death-rate among our SOL
diers IN camp during the late war with
Spain is too fresh in our minds to need
much dwelling upon. DR.. Osler. in his
eloquent address 10 the Medical Society
of the state of New York. on February
]. 1893. puts the situation in these forci-
bic words: Last autumn. this nation, in
the moment OF victory, had d rude awak-
ening, a sudden conviction. q hard les
son. A voice ike that heard in Ramah
went up throughout the land-lamentation
and weeping and great mOurning-frOm
Montauk Point 10 San Francisco, from
Minneapolis 10 Tampa-Rachels weeping
for their lads"
The saddest and most discOuraging fca-
ture of this condition Of things Is that
with proper sanitary precautions this
holocaust might have been almost entire
ly prevented. and the same might be said
I'm regard 20 those places where typhoid
fever is endemic. As Professor Os'er says.
the solution of the problem is easy. What
has been done in many parts of Europe
can be done here: the practical cOnvic-
ton of the people is all that is necessary.
This fact has been proved times without
number. Munich. Hamburg and Berlin
stand out prominently. as striking Illus
t|rations. IN Berlin. perhaps the c~leanest
city ia the world, typhoid is unknown
"Pediatries."
TUBERCULOSIS II PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Extraordinary interest is now being taxi
en- I'm almost every part OF the world In
consumption. and the means whereby TO
stay its course. or may be, happily. 20
wipe &c out altogether. That the disease
is infectious is, of course, a matter upon
which an scientific men are agreed. al
though opinion still widely differs as 10
IT'S degree of righteousness, and his be
ing so. il IS right that every practical
measure should be enforced In order 10
narrow IT'S scope. Many writers have
recently charged the public schools as re-
sponsiOie. I'm a large number of instances.
for The dissemination OF the tubercular
germs. Dr. d. VI. Emmert contributed a
paper to q medical journal, In which he
drives home this thought I'm a forcible
manner. He declares that many OF our
public schools. as now conducted, are
veritabie BLACK holes" where the chill
dren are dying Of au-to-intoxication self
Dois0ning) and goes on 70 say that there
could NOT be found a better culture bed
for tuhercular germs than in these chill
dren. deblitated and with tissues starved
through breathing devitalized and vitiat-
cd air. Attention has often been called TO
the ~unsanitary state of many Of the schoO
buildings. Parents and children have a
right 10 demand that their studies should
be pursued under healthy hygienic oondi-
lions. Ventilation is too frequently Woe
fully defective I'm schools. IL is impossi-
BILE 20 ventilate rooms in which are gath
cred for several hours IN each day a mass
Of human being. by means of windowc
and doors only. Mechanical methods
/ should be provided TO ensure a plentiful
/ supply Of fresh air. This is a matter
which might, with advantage. receive the
earnest attention Of those who are striv-
ing 20 put an end 10 the scource Of tuber-
I cu'osis-Idem.
THE VICTORIES OF VACCINATION.
In 1871 Germany lost 1900 lives by
smallpox. I'm 1874. a law was passed
making vaccination obligatory I'm the first
year Of life. and compelling IT'S repeti-
ton al the tenth year. The result was
tina the disease almost entirely disap-
reared. At present. the loss Of life from
# throughout the empire is scarcely one
hundred n year. At the time OF the Fran
co-Prussian war the German Government
had its civil population yaccinated option
ally. ard its army completely revaccinat-
ed. while the French army and population
were vaccinatcd perfunctoriiy. Both
were attacked by smallpox. the French
army losing 1900 men and the Germans
2lS. In the face OF such absolute ard
stubborn facts. with which the statistics
OF the disease are crowded, II Is difficult
10 see how the anti-vaccinationist is able
TO give any pleusibiity 70 his argument.
But he continues 10 exist. and hst year