The Dickinson press., 1909-11-06
ALL MAY HAVE HEALTH
DISEASE UNNECESSARY
Continued from page Al

milk. One and all, these dis
eases are a disgrace to our civili-
cation. With clean healthyliving
personal and domestic, muncip-
al and national, they could be
so effaced as to have only histor-
ic interest. And it would actual
1y cost less to do this than it does
to treat and nurse the sick and
bury the dead, to say nothing of
the pain, sorrow and loss of life
prevented.
When we have urged legisla-
ton for these purposes, other
wise intelligent congressman and
state legislators have not hesita-
ted to say that doctors asked for
these laws for their own benefit,
without stopping to consider
that III so far as they prevent
sickness. they: diminish their own
incomes, the very unsel6shness
of the movement causing it to be
misjudged, as legislators saw no
other vocation there working
against it's own interests. It was
because ours is above all a HUI
manitarian calling, charged with
the duty of saving life, and in
daily contact with the sorrow
caused by sickness and death,
that it took up this work, just as
for the same reason it does more
actual charity every day in every
year than all other people organ
izations put together. Again, all
others may profit BY their dis
coveries or inventions, but doc
tors cannot, their vows requir-
ing that they be made public
for the good of humanity. All
of this has involved altruistic la
Dor without parallel in human
history, unappreciated and OBJ
structed, largely because of the
public sentiment fostered by the
past discord in our ranks.
Had doctors been as united and
taken the same pains to keep in
touch with, and guide the people
during the formative period of
our government as the lawyers
did, health and medical boards
would always have been as much
a part of Ethe warp and wool of
our county, state and national
machinery as the courts. They
ought to- have been, because more
important, just in proportion as
health and2life are more import
ant than property interests. Since
this has been so insisted upon by
political economists, an increasing
number of our more thoughtful
public men are coming to realize,
as Gladstone, Disraeli, Bismarck,
Gambetta and other real states
men in the older countries did
long ago, that a health depart
ment at Washington, with labora-
tories and research workers in
proportion to our power. and
wealth and the vast interests in
volved, who would investigate the
causes of the common diseases
not yet understood, to gather,
tabulate and made public the
facts in regard to every case of
sickness and death which occurs
in every county and state, with
prevention as the only object, is
as much a necessity, if our people
are to have the benefactions of
modern science utilized daily
for the protection Of their homes
and families, as is the Supreme
- e. Ds".s>@ -HEH---". =, s.. =
Court of the United States. This
is done in other well-governed
countries, as it is regardless Of ex-
pense for domestic animals, crops,
trees and similar interests with
us, and the time has come for
voters to quit sending men to
Congress, legislatures, or other
positions, who have not sense to.
appreciate the value: of the health
and lives of human beings.