The Opelousas courier., 1900-05-05
Sanitary Matters.
mes-Democrat.

Times-Demoerat. 3:
The Louisiana State Medical Society,
at its session in this city lastlweek, unan
imously adopted the. following resolu-
tions, introduced by DR.. F. j. Mayer:
Resolved, That it ia the sense of the
State Medical Society that o school of
veterinary science shonld be established
in Louisiana in connection with the Lou
isiaHa Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege.
Resolved, That the request of the agri-
cultulists of the State at their recent
annual convention at Arcadia, for the
creation by the Legislature of a commits
sioner of public health, whose function
shall be purely educational, who shall be
required by law to hold d sanitary in
stitute in every parish Of the State, at
least once a year, meets with the in
ton of such a department is earnestly
urged upon the General Assembly of
the State.
Both these suggestions of the Medi-
cal Society are excellent, and we hope
to see them adopted by the Legislature.
The second resolution is in no sense q
matter wholly for the doctors, but is of
Importance to all. With the State Med
ical Society demanding if, because of
the Sanitary questions involved, and the
State Agricultural Society asking it, be-
cause the farmers of Louisiana are so
deeply and vitality interested, the Leg
islature can scarcely refuse the request.
1t is reasonable and the expense is
small. 1t simply proposes the organi-
cation of n department., or rather the APP
pointment of a commissioner, whose
duty it shall be to interest the people in
sanitary matters. 1t must be frankly
confessed that Louisiana is sadly def
Gent in knowledge and understanding
of sanitation, and the result has been
deleterious to the State in many ways.
This defect can be corrected in no bet
tel 'way, and the people instructed, than
through such institutes as the farmers
and the doctors have asked for.
The need of a school of veterinary
science in connection with the Louisiana
State Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege has long been recognized. Louisi-
hi is deficient in veterinary knOwl-
edge and in practicing veterinarians, and
to this deficiency is largely due the pre-
valance of Charlton and other diseases
among cattle and stock here, and the
heavy losses that occur. A LOuisianian
who wises to study veterinary medicine
is compelled to go far away, to the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania or some other
Northern college where there is IL vete-
rinary school, and many persons cannot
afford to do this /; whereas, if there were
n school here Louisiana would have "a
hundredfOld as many persons under.
standing how to treat and cure animals
and this would mean the saving of thou
sands of stock which are now sacri-
feed and, more than this, the better
health of the people themselves. for as
the late milk agitation in New Orleans
has shown, the public health is endan-
gered when cattle become diseased.
science in Louisiana, therefore.
means a smaller loss of cattle and stocks,
healthier animals, and better milk,
beef, mutton, pork, etc, and ia well
worth what it will cost the State.
The COURIER most heartily endorses
this editorial, being one of the first, il
attention to the fact that public instruc-
ton in things sanitary, must precede
legislation in order to make the
latter effective. The Legislature owes
it to the people of the State to give them
this instruction, and TO carry into exc
the objects and purposes OF tue
State Sanitary Association
whose charter We long since published. |
To do this a liberal appropriation should
be made in order to secure the best pos
sible talent, and the position OF COM
missioner should be lifted on a high ed
ucatioRal plane and not dependent up
on the uncertain winds of politics in
fact. it should be as entirely divorced
from politics as is that OF the Director
Of Farmers Institutes. With such an
system in operation, there1
"a no doubt that in a few years the peo-l
pie would begin TO understand the true
nature of contagious and infectious dis
eases, and that instead Of the shotgun
quarantine embargo on commerce, the
would depend more on scientific
quarantine, isolation and disinfection,
that the drink water supply of the
State would be markedly improved.
EHE~