Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-02-15
D. s. HELMER s. co.
Real Estate
and Loans,
PORT PA.


Paper Prepared and Read by DR.. K. p.
Heilman at the Annual Meeting of
the Directors of Cameron County,
Held in the Court House, at Em-
porium, Pa, Saturday, February
3rd, 1900.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlcmen:-
Monday noon.-An invitation by the
County Superintendent of Public
schools to prepare paper on the sub
ject of Hygiene, and read it the follow
ing Saturday at the Directors meeting,
greets me. An exacting professional
practice using a large portion of my
time, various other minor duties and
circumstances worrying me using
much of the balance of the time, and
condition of unpreparedness, with only
a small share Of the fast feeting NOM
ents in which to brush up on so i'm
portant a subject confronts me. A
sense of public duty however impells
me, in spite of the discouraging en-
vironments, to answer affirmatively,
undertake the task and do what | may.
Hygiene. What is it? 1t is the
science of preserving health. Practical
Hygiene is the art ofpreserving health.
Taking the word in its fullest sense, it
signifies rules for the perfect culture
and preservation OF both mind and
body 1t is impossible to dissociate
the two. The profoundest thinkers and
most renowned leaders of men of all
ages, from remotest antiquity down to
the present, have given the subject
their most careful consideration. Read
carefully the Nos,-ic laws ands to hfbi
who thinks while he reads, it is at once
evident that the Jews gave the matter
of preservation of health much atten-
tion, prepared elaborate directions for
their guidance. and followed them
with scrupulous exactness. Through
out their whole history it appears that
the Jews enjoyed remarkable immun-
ity from all diseases of an epidemic
character. Only when they departed
from the law in the matter, and became
careless in its observance, do we find
epidemics overtaking them. Through
many ages they were spared their
ravages, while their neighboring ma
tions, VINO reveled in filth were perish
ing on all sides. ThisEancient race of
people have set a most commendable
example in hygiene. II the Jewish re-
.ligiOn had done no more than to teach
to the world by its wonderful example
as laid down in the pentaJeuch the i'm
portance Of hygiene 1t would have ac-
complished a wonderfully beneticient
result They were especially careful
as to cleanliness both OF themselves
and their surroundings, they separated
the sick from the well, they exercised
extreme care in the use OF wholesome
food and drink. Thou mayest eat the
flesh of so-and-so. Thou niayest not
eat the flesh of other SO and so. Thou
shalt fast at certain times. Thou shalt
do certain thiEgs and perform certain
ceremonies, only after the most careful
washing and cleansing. These illus
regulations that after a time, instead
of their being simply means of preserv-
ing health, they were considered by
the masses of the people as parts of
their religion, and entered as essentials
into their regular worship. Who shall
say that the Almighty did not smile
his unqualified approval upon a wor
ship that so strongly tended towards
the preservation and better develop
ment of the masterpieces of his own
handiwork. Yet in the light of Egypt
ian, Greek and Roman history, Moses,
great as he was, was neither the first
nor the greatest sanitary legislator.
TO the determining the causes of
diseases, to the discovering means for
their removal, and to the formulating
and enforcing rules for their preven-
tion is due largely the possibilities OF
our higher modern civilization. The
special divisions are:
First: Those which concern the sur
roundings of man, such as climate, the
site or soil on which his buildings are
placed; the character materials, and
arrangement of his buildings; the air
he breaths; the cleansing of his dwell
ings, and the arrangements for the re-
moval therefrom of excreta and other
effete matters.
Second: Those which concern the
personal care of health, such as the
food and water he uses; his clothing;
work and exercise; personal cleanli-
ness; and special habits.
Thirl. ManaununanI Of inl4nnN urn