Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-20
BEST PREVENTATIVE
PROPER SANITARY EDUCATION
ALONE CAN BLOT OUT GREAT
WHITE scouReE.

W WHIiE SCOURGE.
State Should Give Instruction to the
School Children That Will Insure to
Them Good Health-Paper by OF.
tnrr,Wa Physician-Schoo Sanitation.
Education along proper sanitary
lines IS declared by one of the promi-
nent Ottumwa physicians to be the
best means toward the prevention and
the ultimate blotting out of the great
white scourge," tuberculosis, in a pa
per read before the State Medical as
ISOLATION at it's annual meeting held
In Des Moines last May. This paper
was published in the printed reports
Of this meeting and is in part as fol-
lows:
The first great and In fact the most
important step in the prevention as
well as the cure of tuberculosis is the
distribution of information upon this
and allied subjects among all classes
OF our people. In other words our sys-
tenn of education must be breadened
30 that the children may and shall be-
come as familiar Withthe common rules
OF health as they do with those of
arithmetic and syntax. OF what value
IS 1T to the state to instruct its chill
dren in the common branches of an
ordinary education and then have
them die just about the time or soon
after they have completed their school
ing for the want of the very knowledge
which would have saved their lives
and made of them useful, healthful
citizens.
A Duty of the State.
1--WE have for long time been
deeply impressed with the belief that
It is one of the first duties of the state
to educate its citizens in the general
principles of sanitation and the pre-
monitory systems of the preventable
diseases Without this or some SINH
lar system of education for the public
good is soon adopted, years will prob
ably pass by before men will attain to
an age proportionate with animals;
that is to about five times the number
OF years required for his physical de-
velopment.
1.-THE small sum of five thousand dol
lars spent each year by the state in
holding schools for sanitary instruc-
ton IN various parts of the state to
which all classes of people should be
earnestly urged to be present and
take an active part in its session
would be productive of great good.
Special efforts should be made among
sAthe men and women of the laboring
classes at each place where school
I Is to be held to have them present and
Y take part in the exercises. There are
many, many good minds among the la
4 boring people that are quick to grasp
and assimilate truths. Here is the
leaven that will finally leaven the
whole and ultimately prove that the
stamping out Of tuberculosis and in
a truth all other preventable diseases is
Saot an irridescent dream
."The truths Of yesterday are in
deed not very often the truths of to.
ay. We must ever bear in mind that
re live in the today and not the yes
erdays. The people must be liber.
Fated from the false teachings of the
lApast and trained to think and investi
gate questions for themselves that are
directly concerned in their present and
future welfare. 1t is high time that
we should all learn that the advances
Of each day bring us nearer to ulti.
mate truth.
Should Report Every Case.
Every case of tubercular disease
should be promptly reported to the
health officer of the district in which
the patient lives. The premises
should then be carefully and thor
oughly investigated by either the
: health officer or some other competent
person and permanent record kept
by that person of its exact condition
and location and the patient and ad.
jacent families should be furnished
with printed instructions containing
the latest and best methods of pre-
venting the disease from spreading
The attending physician should then
furnish the patient with the necessary
Information which If followed will, il
= the disease is in its incipiency, gener.
ally lead to recovery. The patient
must be profoundly impressed with the
fact that all of the sputa and excreta
from the body must be thoroughly de.
stroyed without being allowed to come
AsaAn contact with any surface whereon
2 It may dry and become pulverized.
The tenement houses in every
township, town and city in our state
should be visited at stated intervals
each year and the occupants thereof
talked with and given some carefully
formulated literature upon the sub
ject OF tuberculosis while at the same
time the inspector should become &C
quainted with any slight ailment that
may serve as preliminary announce
/ ment of the presence Of the disease
II these people find that a special in
terest is manifested in their welfare
by the state and public they will not
only take a. greater interest in their
own but they will acquire degree OF
interest heretofore unknown In the
wellbeing of others. The ward poll
tician understanding this interest will
always when he meets any of them
inquire about their family and the
3, neighbors, and sympathize with them
In any Of their misfortunes, ever aim.
ing to keep In touch with them SO that
when he needs their help he knows
full well that they will do his bidding