The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-22
HE HAS A MISSION.
Says Good Health Should Be
More Contagious.
Wants People Educated to Pre-
vent Spread of Disease.

DR.. J. N. Mccormack. NJ. D., of
Kentucky, who IS to make an address
tonight at the Throop hotel to the
Shawnee County Medical society.
through the efforts of DR.. S. ]. Crum-
bine, OF the Kansas state board of
health, has been secured to deliver
an address before the joint session of
the legislature tomorrow night, on
the subject, ''Why and How Good
Health Should Be Made More Con-
tagious Than Sickness
DR.. Mccormack is one of the great
est exponents of public health in
America. For nearly thirty years he
was secretary of the Kentucky board
of health, and in this capacity he car
ried on a great work such as DR..
Crumbine is doing for Kansas to-
day. At present he is working in the
interests of the Universities and
American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science, seeking to pro-
mote popular education regarding the
preventable diseases as we'll as those
arriving from immoral causes.
DR.. Mccormack was the attending
physician upon William Goebel, the
governor of Kentucky who died from
an assassins bullet. From the time he
was called soon after the shooting. un-
DR.. Mccormack never left the bedside
of the dying governor. His meals were
brought to him, and what little sleep
ing he did was in a large armchair
near the bedside.
DR.. Mccormack has been engaged to
make tour through Kansas in April
at which time he will speak in 16 of
the principal cities in the interest of
along lines which would retard the
spread of disease. The plan of the So
cieties under which he works is to in
clude in the curriculum of all the pub
lie schools, courses in domestic science
and manual training and courses on
public health, which would be so sim
pie that the young child could grasp
some ideas and which would become
more complex and technical with the
higher grades. 1t is a plan for estab-
fishing university extension courses
which can be extended into every coun-
ty in the United States. where physi-
clans who can not afford the time or
money could receive enlightenment on
question of public health and public
morals.
According to Mr.. Mccormack, the
need at this time is for competent
men in every county who can be Sc
cured as teachers, and receive some
compensation from the state for their
time and trouble. these men to in
struct the doctors along the lines ad-
vanced by the society.
AS an example of what can be ac-
complished by popular instruction in
the lines of health and morals, is
shown by DR.. Mccormack, with Ger
many as an example. The German
empire is about the size of Kansas,
but provides homes for 4 3 millions of
people Since the warfare made by
the public physicians was started in
that empire, smallpox has been prac-
tically unknown, the only cases COM
ing from infected foreigners who land
there. The German doctors are now
working against tuberculosis and have
achieved marked success. "In but a
few years in GERMANY says DR.. Nc
Cormack, ''the physicians have been
instrumental in prolonging the aver
age human life, fifteen years"
"Our work in this country con-
tinued DR.. Mccormack, "has been
prevented largely through the discord
of physicians. Some are allopathic
and they won't cooperate with the
younger schools, but these lines are
being wiped out and the physicians
now are working in harmony as they
.ealize the question public health is a
most vital one"