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

out epideinics than they are to vote 1t
for the purpose of preventing depend
encies and epldemics or the spreading
Of communicable diseases. They Ger.
tainly do not all do SO as "a panacea to
their conscience, or for popularity or
votes but rather we think on account
Of inability (from lack of proper in.
formatlon) to comprehend the invisi-
biz causes as thoroughly as they do
the visible effect. If this Is the cor
rect view, then the responsibility
largely rests upon us and we must use
more rhetoric and logic.
Mr.. President, 1t seems to me that
this society should take somo action
toward the education Of the people
along the line of public health or else
repeal the law IN our state constitu.
ton that requires committee on pub
lie polic.' and legislation. Legislation
that liz not comprehended by
the masses is about as beneficial to
them as spectacles are to persons
without eyes,. The benefit is all in the
name and looks. Legislation will
never make soldier but training
will. Legislation has never cured a
disease or performed surgical oper.
alton brit education properly directed
persons to do either or both. Legisla.
ton has never made people moral but
argument and persuasion have. Legis.
lation has produced panlcs in the mar.
ket. but it has never been known to
cause one among disease germs, es.
pecially in Iowa. If you think it has
take up the Code of Iowa and read the
Legislation that has been passed
against them, and then read carefully
the various reports of the secretary OF
our State Board of Health and I be.
lieve that you will be thoroughly con.
vinced that it has not, and that it is
now time to bring other methods into
action to assist and cooperate with
the law If we intend to successfully
cope with these enemies of man. All
but hear some one say it is the sec
retary's fault. That he does not dc
as you would. Neither, my friend
does he break his bread Just as you
do, yet he is about as we'll nourished
and possibly has seen as many sum
iAOlS vi AAOlC IudA you udp0. NOuE
ishment and development do not de-
pend as much upon the manner OF
breaking the bread as they do upon
the various organs in the economy per
forming their respective functions and
working as harmonious whole. II
they do not, the person grows thin, Land
if suitable remedies are not timeously
applied, death may result from mani
ton. The same end will be reached
by public hygiene in Iowa if the Local
boards and their respective physicians
the organs of the state board of health
do not perform their duties and work
in comparative harmony. Indeed from
the last report of the secretary we
must conclude that it is even now seri
ously toxaenic as less than so pei
cent OF the organs are apparently per
forming even a part of their duty. Is
not the situation sufficiently grave
Mr.. President. for you to ask the rep
resentatives of the 1000 physicians in
Iowa that constitute this meeting into
consultation? You have at your
command today the learning and the
4 intellect OF Iowa and we verify believe
that they can and will 7be able to sug
gest some method that will eliminate
the toxic material and stimulate the
various organs into a healthy perform
ance. of their respective duties. Anc
as one Of the questions to be consider
ed In this consultation would sug
gest that more thorough instruction II
public hygiene be given in our schools
and that copies of the papers read il
this section or such parts of them as
may be suitable, together with the dis
cussions thereon hereafter, be sent tc
each county paper in the state. which
am sure would be glad to publish
them for the benefit of their readers
And further that each county society
give their respective newspapers al
papers and discussions under the
aforesaid restrictions that pertain te
the public health directly. Let us
have our light shining brightly in eact
county in our state until every howell
hall and palace are thoroughly illum
mated.