Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-01
NECESSITY SHOWN FOR
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
Article on Health Of Country is PUB
Ilshed by William H. WeIoh, Pro-
fessor of Pathology in
University

Possibly the greatest single triumph
in the direction of sanitary reform has
been the determination of that disease
which is most directly traceable to
filth-typhus fever
The real knowledge on which the
prevention of this infectious disease is
based is the discovery of the causes
of tLese diseases by such men as Pas
teur and Koch.
The governments of France and Ger
r1any took the initiative and the dis
coveries of the organisms which cause
Asiatic cholera, tuberculosis. typhoid
fever and diphthera have had great
influence in awakening public interest
in these matters. Preventive medicine
and public hygiene are based now on
a large mass of ascertained facts, and
these can be applied in the most di-
rect and effective diseases and the inn
provement of the public health in gem
eral.
One of the most important results is
the adoption of suitable measures for
the prevention of most of these dis
prosperity and commercial develop
ment of the country. Take, as an il
lustration the steps now taken for the
eradication of malaria. These are the
drainage of marshes and low and un-
wholesome land in order to destroy the
breeding places of the mosquito. That
in itself, quite apart from the preven-
ton of malaria and the destruction OF
the mosquito, leads to great enrich
mpnf of the material nf the
country. Take the measures essential
for checking the spread of tubercu-
losis This disease is now an economic
and social as we'll as a medical prob
lem.
Extent Limited
To what extent is this new knowl-
edge applied in public hygiene and
preventive medicine? Only to a limit
ed extent anywhere in the world. Any
one who is familiar with what Is actu-
ally known today regarding this class
of diseases is aware that even In the
most enlightened countries there is
only a fraction of that knowledge
practically applied. Here is another
instance In which knowledge outstrips
its application. But in Germany, and
particularly in France and England, so
much of this knowledge has been put
to practical use that the results are
very apparent The death rate has
been reduced by a third, in many
places to one-half of the mortality
which formerly prevailed, and this has
been chiefly due to checking the spread
of the infectious diseases.
In America this new knowledge is
applied to "a lamentably small extent.
We are reproach to the civilized
world, by reason of our inattention to
matters of public health and the pre-
vention of disease. Can we conceive
of our national government, If Koch
or Pasteur should make his appear
ance in this country, calling him to
Washington, and by giving him a
laboratory, afford him an opportunity
to confer inestimable benefits on man
kind? Incredible! Under existing con :
ditions our government could do moth
ing of the kind. In whose hands has
been placed hitherto the administration
of matters of public health? 1t has
been in the mands chiefly of the towns
and cities. but only to small extent
has existing knowledge been applied
In systematic and intelligent way.
No National Head
The reason is because there is no ma
tional head to indicate in what direc .
tion money and skilled knowledge,
which have been so wastefully applied
in many instances, can be applied eff
fectively. In England every little town
and city has trained expert in mat
ters of sanitation, one who has the
diploma of doctor of public health,
indicating that he has special sanitary
knowledge beyond that of the average
physician. 1t is difficult to make the
public understand how vital statistics
are the basis of all good sanitation,
Just as an intelligent system of book
keeping is the basis of any business.
We must know the natural history of
any disease, and what it's death rate
is, before we can intervene with intel
ligence to prevent its spread. Only
very limited part of this country has
what may be called technically regis
tration area. In other words, there are
few cities and very few communities
that know anything exact about the
health conditions in their respective 10
calities. There are many ways i'll which
our government can prove of great
efficiency in this co-ordinating, educat-
ing and harmonizing work in the in
terests of public health. There is no
economy in the department work at
Washington.
The opportunities are probably
greater today than ever for the promo
ton of the welfare of the people by
the coordination of the forces which
already exist, but back of such move
ment must be an educated, intelligent,
public sentiment Educated sentiment
can be secured by adequate support of
the civic, medical and sanitary move
ment, which the committee of one hun
dred has inaugurated.