The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-05-10
PROGRESS in MUNIC-
IPAL SANITATION y
BY z. r. ~pRITCHHRp,
Secretary Department Of Health, Chicago

work is scarcely attempted; and in no instance has it reached any
recognized standard of efficiency or excellence. Especially are such
cities behind the spirit Of the times in adopting the methods employed
by trained santarians for the suppression and prevention Of con-
tagious diseases.
In such important matters as the enforced vaccination of school
children, medical school inspection, the reporting of contagious dis
eases by physicians and the conduct of contagious disease funerals,
THERE EXIST NO GOOD REASONS WHY THE CITY OF
5000 TO 10000 INHABITANTS SHOULD NOT HAVE IN
FORCE AND EFFECT THE SAME PREVENTIVE METH
obs AS ARE USED IN CITIES LIKE CHICAGO N BOS-
Ton
An outbreak of d%iphtheria or scarlet fever in the schools of a
town of 1900 people is just as serious a matter and just as much
OF a calamity so far as it goes, as a similar visitation of the same
dread scourges would be to a metropolitan city. So in the all i'm
porant work of vaccination; the vaccinated community goes I'M
scourged, while the city or town in which this simple and effective
preventive is not used is stricken with a maady which makes no dis
tinctons in selecting its victims, except that the vaccnated person
invariably escapes.
1t should be remembered, however, that cities are not built, as
yet, along scientific lines as to their sanitary needs. On the con-
trary, they seem to grow and expand in an aimless, u~nmethodcal
way. For example, matters Of such importance as drainage, DISPOSE
ton of sewage, and water supply only come up for consideration, as
a rule, after their imperative need has been forced upon the COM
munty. In too many instances a study of the town growth and
development of this country will show that dire calamity, in the
shape Of disease and pestience, or great loss OF life and property
by fire, has been the awakening force.
1t is encouraging to note that within the past few years an
awakening interest is being manifested in any and all matters per-
tanning to municipal sanitation. PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO
SEE THAT MUNICIPAL CLEANLINESS IS CIVIC GODLI-
NESS; while all intelligent physicians are fully alive to the fact that
preventive medicine embraces the field of their most valuable service
to humanity.
Much thought and study, too, have been given to the sanitary
and economic disposition of city wastes. This alone presents a
problem involving great sanitary and financial possibilities; and vet
with all that has been done, the solution Of the problem has not yet
been such as to satisfy either sanitary or economic demands. But
it is certain to come and that at no distant day. And from nv own
study of the problem | am convinced that city refuse, including
garbage and wastes of all kinds, will then be SO utilized that its COL
lection and disposition, in a perfectly sanitary way, will be carried
out without cost to the people who produce ii. A SANITARY
CITY MEANS A HEALTHY CITY. A healthy city means a low
death rate, and a city with a low death rate attracts population; and
this means material growth and prosperity.