Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1908-02-27


/ Special. THE biennial report @
the State Board of Health, closin,
the 10Th year of its history, was pre-
scented to the Governor and place
upon desks of members of the Gen
eral Assembly to-day. On account o
the popular interest in the proven
ton of of tuberculosis, typhoid fever
diphtherla and other communicate
diseases which has been aroused il
recent years, and the plain, practica
way these matters are treated IN tn
report, 1t is likely to attract unusus
attention. In fact, the reports of tn,
board have already been made tn,
book on public health in tn,
Western Normal School, as will like
ly be done by other colleges through
out the state.
After showing that the annua
drain upon the material resources OF
the State and Nation from prevent.
able sickness constitutes the greatest
tax which is levied upon our people,
and is Just as much a tax as if paid
into the public treasures, the report
dwells upon and gives reasons for the
legislative and popular ind'fcreIces
in regard to it. 1t lows that with
in the United Ste.es last year there
were ] : 1000 deaths and I, 200, 600
csses of sickness, involving the com
fort and material prosperity Of D, 600
600 homes and %, 900, 900 people.
At least one-third of this sickness
and mortality is declared to be DIS
tinctly preventable, of the deaths
$50, 600 being due to tuberculosis and
80, 600 in typhoid fever. Only 2lO,-
900 men were killed in both armies
during the five years of the Civil
War, while within the past FIVE years
$50, 900 people have died in this
country from tuberculosis and $50
600 from typhoid fever. In the face
of these hard, cruel facts. the L. ;.
A. ,ha lac,
years has spent $40, 900, geo for the
eradication of cholera in hogs and
chickens, tick fever in cattle, scab in
sheep, and pests to crops and fruit
and shadetrees, but has never lifted
a hand to protect Its men, women and
children from these domestic pest.
lences which destroy health and lite
every day in every year, :,
The facts aud figures of Kentucky
are of even more direct importance
to our people, and no less impressive.
spite of our earnest efforts we
have no system of vital statistics,
but information gathered voluntarily
from our physicians show that for the
average year in this State there are
IL ,979 cases aud d, 43S deaths from
-, 5l2 cases and l,6S3 |
deaths from typhoid fever; 1857
cases and S35 deaths from the diar-
rhoeal diseases of childhood; 5, Isl
cases and LOGS deaths from diph-
iberia; %, 3S3 cases and 933 deaths
from scarlet fever; a total Of 20, 532 |
c ,ses and II, ll6 deaths from these
six preventable diseases annually.
Adam Smith first insisted, and lat
er political economists have all agreed |
that a State can have no more valua-
bic asset than that represented in its
healthy men, women and children. |
They place the average value of an
adult human life at 81 900, some of |
them very much higher, and argue
that farms, factories, mines aud for
ests have any real value only so long
as there is live, virile, healthy pop
ration to open, develop and enjoy |
them. The medical profession of |
Kentucky, united as 1t never was be-
fore believing that at least one third |
Of the deaths which come to our peo-
pie every year are preventable, stands
as one man for its accomplishment. |
but is confronted aud thwarted at
every turn by popular indifference
which is every day reflected in our
legislative bodies, courts and other
official activities.