The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-12

in the dim past our forbears spoke
about each other. The clergy
and all Of the other segregated call
ings did the same thing and have been
forgiven, but it is still held against us.
Lawyers Harmonious.
The legal profession is the only one
which has always been harmonious.
This is solely due to the fact that law
yers live in the aggregate and work in
constant elbow touch with each other,
but it has been a great benefit to both
them and the people. Had we been
equally wise and united always health
and medical boards would have been
as much a part Of the warp and wool
of our government as the courts are.
They ought to have been. They are
more important, just in proportion as
health and life are more important,
than mere property interests. A great
central health department at Washing
ton, with a representative in the cab
met, and all of the facilities for contin-
uous scientific research is just as i'm
portant as the supreme court of the
United States, great as is the need of
tribunal. A state board of health, with
it's members so supported that they
can devote their entire time to their
duties, is just as important in Indiana
as your Appellate court. A board Of
health in every city and county, with
an effective corps of officers and in
spectors devoting their entire time to
their duties, in the schools daily, at
the diaries and abattolrs, supervising
every possible source of disease and
danger to your people, with well equip
ped laboratories, are indispensable in
the light of present knowledge, and
are constantly becoming more so in
the growing complex problems Incl
dent to the rapid growth of urban
population. And it will pay to do
these things, for the greatest tax upon
the people of your state today is that
paid into the city, county and state
treasury, but is that expended for un-
necessary sickness and for funerals
which ought not to occur.
No Ordinary Problem.
To meet conditions so grave, woven
into our laws and, what is far more
important, into the habits of thought
and life of the people, is no ordinary
problem. Legislation, however COM
plete, unless supported by an educat-
ed professional and public sentiment,
would have only an educational val
ue. Our plans are being laid along
the broadcast line for creating and fos-
tering this sentiment, through the
2,470 county societies, with over
| 10000 members, in every state and
section. Through we'll planned post
graduate or University Extension
Course, with weekly or semi-weekly
meetings, outlined and furnished gra
/ tuitously by the Association, with am
four years course, it is proposed tC
so stimulate the scientific spirit of the
profession as to place a competent. up
to-date physician within the reach OF
every family in the United States. In
addition, it is planned that these
county societies, or schools shall hold
frequent joint meetings with the loca
organizations of teachers, lawyers
ministers, editors, commercial ant
other bodies which lead public opin
ion, with the view to practical instruc
ton about all Of these life-saving mat
tiers of which medical men have spec
ial information. Through the teach
ers, with stereopticon and other dem
onstrations, it is proposed in time Il
reach every school, give this practica
and easily understood instruction Il
every child in the land, and in time
provide a generation of voters, legisla
tors and administrators who will rec
ognize. as Mr.. Gladstone was so fonC
of saying, That the care of the pub
lie health is the first and most import
ant duty of the statesman" This viii
be no easy task. 1t will involve grea
expense and years of consecrated, un
selfish labor Doctors must lead il
it, not because they have more inter
est in it than other citizens. but be
cause they have the special know
ledge and training which fits them
for and makes it their duty to lead.
Revolution in Methods.
Ultimately this means the sam
revolution in the methods of medica
men which has gone on so rapidly Blu
almost without comment in the lega
profession. Until within recent year
LAWYERS were employed almost entire
ly to conduct litigation in courts. Nov
great corporations and wise men en-
ploy them to prevent or avoid litigs
ton and many of those most eminen
seldom enter a court room. All sicl
ness cannot be prevented with GU
present knowledge, but most Of tn
acute diseases, especially the domesti
pestilences so fatal to children ant
young children, and so difficult I
treat are distinctly preyentahIe an