Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-06

and by either family or doctor In two;
and not answered ,hree. In about 8
per cent the discharges from persons
with communicable diseases were dis
infected or supposed to be. In only
five were the boarsss strict about the
sanitary condition of the streets and
alleys. In seven the garbage was
dumped usually outside of the city,
IN two thrown into the river; In one
covered with lime and earth: In three
buried; the night soil was dumped In
three; buried In three, and dumped in
the river in two. The public schools
We're required to be inspected in two
instances. Quarantine in the surround
Ing country was reported as we'll OBJ
served in three. Typhoid fever was
said to have been imported In five.
The water supply was considered as
the source of disease in one The
large majority of the answers shows
the majority Of the physicians %
prompt In reporting quarantinable dis
eases. The services Of the health OH.
Ger were valued by the board Of
health at prices ranging from SO much
per visit to $500 per year and In two
instances something extra to pay sub
registers, etc.
To Increase Efficiency.
From the answers to the question,
| What would, you suggest to Increase
the efficiency Of local boarda Of
health?" we select the following:
More rigid observance OF the laws
already enacted and more power given
to the health officer to inforce their
observance" Cooperation of physi-
clans" "a sanitary policeman, gar
bage wagon and driver, all under
charge OF the health officer and more
power to health officer" educate the
public and stop appointing a new
health officer and health committee ev-
cry year." report contagious diseases
to health officer or to the mayor and
give him power to summariJy abate
filth, nuisances, etc" ELECT a good
health officer and pay him enough for
his services" More interest in the
work and more salary" PAY the
health officer enough so he can afford
to devote the necessary time to the
duties" Better salary and better
men," Make the health officer and ex-
ecutive officer and pay him better
salary Have a health officer to or
ganize the township boards and see
that quarantine is enforced" Subject
measles to as rigid quarantine of a
scarlet fever" "The appointment of a
health commissioner for each county
. who shall have general supervision
over the local boards of health over
the county and is held responsible for
the reinforcements of the regulations
of the state board of health Educate
the people and change the position of
the health officer from mechanical to
executive" "The board of health
should require the health officer to at.
tend the meetings of the association of
health officers" Educate the people
by we'll written articles through the
papers" Require each county med.
ical society to have all its papers upon
public hygiene with the discussion
upon each subject printed for the
benefit of the public" Every local cpl
demic should be discussed by the
county medical society and the con
scensus of their opinions published. :
'The salary of the health officer should
be proportioned according to the work
required of him"
Live for the Morrow.
1t would be useless to analyze these
few replies or draw conclusions from
them. They represent the conditions
of probably the best of the local boards
Of health in the state. We believe II
there was as much carelessness and In.
difference shown by physicians in the
medical and surgical treatment of the
various diseases as there is in public
hygiene, this society would be prompt
to take some action that would bring
about an improvement The tremen.
/ dous forces that are at work under.
mining the health and happiness of the
masses in our state can be
lessened and destroyed only
through united, energetic and har.
monious work of the physicians. Let
each of us then read anew our duties
and obligations to the public In the
lime light of this century and with
glasses OF the standing social condi-
tons and scientific progress; end en-.
deavor to diligently and faithfully per.
form our respective parts in the ad.
vancement of measures for the benefit
OF public and private hygiene. We
must quit living in the yesterday and
live in today anG for the morrow. BY
our fidelity and impartiality we must
demonstrate to the masses that neither
commercial patents to social position
or political influence will in
duce us to swerve from the
line of duty That in our eyes man
living in a shanty on an alley and one
living in a mansion on the highway
are pilla,s in our governm ent and are
therefore entitled to and must receive
equally as thoughtful and careful by.
gienic consideration and attention.
The neglect of one may jeopardise the
health and life of the other BY the
fertilizing pollen of sanitarian thought,
we must counteract the commercial,
bewltching, and cure all system of ed
ucation conducted so industriously
and vigorously in the columns of the
lay and Christian press of the coun-
try, by alert quacks, patent medicine
men, and food trust companies. We
are quite confident that when the ply
sicians Of Iowa shall keep the main
points Of public and private hygiene
| az nrominentlv. hafora tha eoeonlo oo