The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-19
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
) sineeure is that of Health Offcer at
the Present Day.
lRz IL Prescott-Bnllock.

Dy Z. IIGSCObb-oul1OChs
Hu! pears to me dat Healf oisah
mighty 'icious and got heap i'm
prudence walking inter my house an
tePng me what got to do 'bout de
slops, an kep'ng de yard clean.
Specs dis yere place as clean as his.
is nohow.
While expressed in rather a crude
manner, the above from The lips Of an
old colored woman, voices the feel
ing of many person who is Ignorant
of the vital sanitary importance at
tached to the periodical visit OF the
health officer to their premises.
It is safe to say that no other class
of public officials, whose objects are.
for the welfare OF the citizen, are
subject to as much yituperation and
enmity as that Of the health officer or
sanitary police. And this feeling OF
antagonisn is not alone confined to
the illeterate but will be found
among the most enlightened people,
as many of these imagine that a visit
of this kind to their premises is
gratuitous insult either on the part of
the officer himself, or instigated by
the erroneous report of neighbor who
takes this plan to revenge some
fancied or actual grievance. And in
many instances this last mentioned
idea has more truth than Imagination
behind it, for it is no uncommon oc-
currence for health officer to have
complaint fled about the unsanitary
condition of a certain premises, and
upon an Investigation being made dis
cover that the entire place is IN Tar
cleanlier, healthier state, than that
Of the one entering the complaint.
The position of health or sanitary
officer in any community, is no sine
cure, but one, if conducted and filed
according to the letter Of the law, OF
extreme hard labor every hour Of the
day, and often times, when there are
epidemics Of contagious diseases,
throughout many hours of the night;
and his administration Of Office should
be aided in every way possible not
only by the authorities of the city,
but by every fair minded citizen. for
in a great measure the health and
lives of everyone are entrusted to his
care and zeal.
In these days of rapid advancement
IN all Sc1SQGluC maGGSfS, 6uS 4upo
tant subjects Of prevention and cure OF
| infectious and contagious diseases are
receiving more and more attention,
and ere long the minutest microbe,
will have to be an early bird, that
escapes the net of the bacteriologist.
But sanitary science backed by all
the health officers obtainable, will be
useless, unless assisted and strength
ened by the actions Of the ad1ninistra-
tive officers and the public spirited
citizens of the community. A perfect
system Of drainage, an ample supply
of pure water, sewerage system II
possible, streets kept clean Of rank
weeds, garbage barrels regularly
emptied, impure milk, diseased meats
and rotting vegetables condemned,
all these would go far toward promot-
ing health in a community. Then in
addition let the sanitary officer be unre-
stricted in his duties pertaining to the
care of infectious and contagious dis
eases, distinctions, fumigations, iso-
lations, the cleanliness Of private
premises, the abolition of all nuis-
ances. and the most important part in
the prevention of disease is provided
| for