The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-02
The Value of Health.

Or. j. N. Mccormack. who has been
member OF the Board OF llchlth or
Kentucky for twonty-fvo years, made
n spcecb In Baltimore the other night,
In which lie said many things about
health conditions In Maryland Which
IRE equally applicable to Richmond.
DR.. Mccormack spoke especially OF
preventive measures, taking as his
text the old saying that IN ounce OF
prevention is worth n pound OF cure.
He declared that onc-third OF the SICK
people In Maryland in 1905 and In
every yenr, and one-third OF those
taken to the cemeteries, were sick and
died OF diseases which the medical
profession could and would have pre-
vented II they could have had the
Intelligent corporation OF the people.
He said TINT there were 2,SS6 deaths
from consumption, which means that
there are about 5000 cases of thet
disease constantly in the state OF
Maryland. With few words he dis
missed the popular impression that
consumption is an inherited malady.
mo matter what Your mother ana
father died Of" said he, you can no
more have consumption. except by get
ting into your body the germs from
n previous case, than you can raise
corn or wheat on one of your ricn
Maryland farms without seed. II AL
tho cXrectorateG natter and tie other.
infectious discharges from every case
of this disease now In your State could
10 collected and destroyed, there need
never be another case within your
borders, unless it be an imported one.
THE trouble is that the majority OF
people do not believe such n state
inent as this. They do not believe That
tuberculosis germs are boating in the
air and are liable to infect even the
strongest man CT woman in the com
olunity: they do not think that If these
germs be destroyed there VIII be no
danger Of consumption; in short, they
do not believe that consumption, like
smallpox, is preventable disease.
In the city of Richmond we had 2ia
deaths las. year from consumption, and
tho doctors say that every one of these
cases could have been prevented If We
had taken procaution in time. If there
lad been half as many deaths from
smallpox, the people would have been
alarmed and aroused, and the Council
would have been urged to appropriate
fifty thousand collars. or one hundred
thousand dollars if necessary, to
stamp out the disease. Yet we go OH
from year to year taking little precan-
ton against consumption, and some
think that FIVE thousand dollars is too
great sum to be expended by the
Board Of Health in one year to fight
tuberculosis. 1t is a false and foolish
policy; it is reckless. Unless medical
| science is utterly at fault, the city
| CT Richmond is responsible for every
| case of consumption IN the commun-
| ity, ard for every death from that
disease.
1t is gratifying to note, however.
that the Council has amended the
| budget to the extent of giving the
Board of Health as much money as
| is asked for on this account. We hope
that the board will not be modest in
! lis request, but will ask for more
money before the year Is out If moro
lie needed in this righteous work q
fighting the white plague
4 DR.. Mccormack further told tn,
Marylanders that they had ,422 death
from the diseases of children cause,
by using dirty, adulterated or spoil
milk. 1--WE often speak Of the slauEh
ter of the innocents by Herod," sal,
lie. tbut he was n novice in the bust
ness as compared with our moder
, cities
There were .56 deaths from diph
iberia and scarlet fever, all distlnctl
prcventahle. There were 47i death
: from typhoid fever, (Which means, &c
: cerding to best estimates said h
that YOU have about six thousan
: cases of these diseases during TIL
: year, and typhoid fever is q typic;
Nth disease. No ono can have 1t es
: cept by getting into his mouth an
: etomach como of the discharges {
some one who has it.
: Guiding this phase Of tho subject, "du
II ing This one wear YOU had :,SiS dcnu
IT from prcventablc diseases, which re-
- resents, according to political ccol
n omy. distinct loss to YOU Of S5,SiS
S, 600"
to But this does not take into accou
Dr. the suffering ard sorrow, which ca
not be estimated in dollars and cen
n We urge upon the people Of R!chlno,
st TO-. consider these facts and figures
f. such, and not as mythical Statement
ia Human life IS very precious; heal
RI Is money, and rs IL mere matter or CO!
~ ,nerclalism it Is good business 10 spe
=. money to promote health ;.nd to pi
vent disease and death. We talk
electric plants ana armorles, and
sorts of comforts ana convenicnces.
" though they were matters of pril
~ necessity; but the real subject
- prime consideration IN this comm,
w ity is the health of the people. witht
NV which there can be no prosperity