The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-09-22


incipient disease. which early treat
ment would cure OF check. would he
discovered. II Is equally true, that the
longevity OF these individuals would
be increased.
have shown that prevention will
prevent preventablo diseases, but
other curablc diseases must be recog-
nized in the curable stage
Three Classes Of People.
Society is today divided into tbree
great classes:
First-The perfectly healthy.
Second-The apparently healthy.
Third-Thc unhealthy
Only small percentage of our pop
ulation belong TO the first-class. very
few are willing TO he clsssed in the
third class; those who belong TO the
second class arc legion This class
must be advised TO subject themselves
TO a medical examination at regular
intervals. that pathological conditions
may be recognized. as early as pos
sible. This is one great aim OF pre-
ventivc medicine. The Chinese. as all
know. pay their doctors only when
they enjoy good health. tuberculosis
Is curablc disease, if diagnosed in
demonstrate the presence of maliG-
nant disease OF the stomach long be-
fore a tumour can he felt and early
enough for an operation. to he Of ben
eft. The work OF hematology, during
the last few years. has made tho early
recognition of diseases OF the blood
and of some of the ductlcss glands, a
certainty.
The Forty-ffth Year.
Prof. Wclch. OF Johns Hopkins. has
shown that the tremendous increase
Of 10 TO - years in the expectation
OF life during the past century. ceases
with the i5th year OF life. because.
as Yet, We have no insight into the
causes and prevention OF organic dis
eases of advancing life. The large
majority of this apparently healthy
class, arc in middle life. Experience
serves but to emphasize the disas-
trous result OF oyerstrain. whether
mental or physical. Too strenuous
a life, reacts on the whole metabolIsm
OF the body, with inevitable auto
intoXication-east muscu-
lar articular and cerebral Hence
come cancer, dyspepsia. muscle pain.
eout and migTaine, but more insldious-
", come troubles OF Kidneys, heart
and arteries, that arc associated with
high vascular tension. Excesses in
| food aud alcohol. are usually COM
mon. A tremendous responsibility
| therefore rests upon us. as physicians
and surgeons 10 keep people well. Our
whole duty Is not done, when we con-
duct medical case to recovery. or
restore patient TO health. by means
of surgical operation.
Should Be Publicity.
One OF the most hopeful signs OF
the times, is the interest taken by the
public at large, in prevention and san
itary measures. Until recently. the
average mans interest in medical
matters. scarcely extended beyond the
iI5srcumference OF his own body or
| that of his family, and he measured
the value OF the medical art by its
ability to cure his cold or his dyS-
pepsie. all unconscious OF the many
per!ls which preventive medicine had
removed from his path through life
! What does he know or care, of the
decline in the death rate. during the
last century. by 10 to 12 years? The
| medical profession according 10 Pro
lessor Welch. is largely responsible
for this state OF things. in falling 10
enlighten the public in ways of pre-
| serving health and preventing dis
case. Now. however, as never be
fore, the daily press and magazines
fairly tecm with medical articles by
we'll known men The articles are Gag
erly read by the public. There never
was a time, in fact, so ripe as the
present. for the medical profession to
give the public facts about disease and
health. The support of the public is
necessary for the success of preven-
| tive medicine. The suffering and
waste OF life from preventable diseases
and causes, are still incalculable; for
example. is it not far better TO pre-
vent the pollution of our houses. our
food. our vehicles and cur streets by
tuberculosis than 10 spend millions
on treatment and then see our loved
ones die by the tens OF thousands from
this disease? Is II not far cheaper 10
spend hundred millions Of dollars
and rid our country of anapheles and
Stegomeyia, than TO see business with
er at flood tide, under the blighting
grip of yellow fever. and our kindred
and friends perish from pest and ma
laria? Is 1t not infinitely wiser, to
prevent the pollution by sewage, Of Il
stream supplying a great city, than
TO fight that pollution in the bodies of
10000 innocent victims OF typhoid
fever,
Preventive Medicine.
Preventive medicine is the medicine
of the future. and the final triumph
Will NO rtal
sion Of disease In this struggle with
the causes OF disease We need not
only the earnest and united support OF
the medical profession, in the front
ranks of this movement, but the en-
cOuragement, and financial aid OF gov
ernments generally, state, county. city
and village. Sanitation on large
+ scale, is very costly, but every dollar
spent, will bring large returns Hy-
gieHic institutes must be established,
where Young physicians can receive
/ the necessary instruction and train
ing. to prepare themselves for the
high and responsible Office. of sanl
tarv or health commissioner in their
different communities Nothing would
he Of more far reaching benefit TO the
| laboring man than TO teach him how
TO avoid disease and preserve his
health.
All great reforms must have be-
ginning. In the household. II We can
interest our government and people
our educators and the public press, in
this great movement. of abolishing
| diseases by prevention, we may eX
pect the millennium Will come in due
| time