The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-04-22
Unstinted Power For
The Board of Health.

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No, thoughtful man could live six
months in Florida without becoming
impressed by the conscientious efforts
being made by the board of health to
better the condition of the people.
This, too, despite of many rebuffs by
the ignorant and painful experiences
from want of public sympathy and
political support.
From Health Notes for April, the
clever bulletin issued by the board,
is clipped the following. every word
of which should sink into the public
conscience; for it is freighted with
wisdom, with mercy and with truth:
Consumption kills more people each
year than equals the number of those
who become insane, and as a COM
mercial loss. which is based on sta
tistics, because it is not possible to
put money value on human life, the
state of Florida loses $4,000, 900 each
year through the FavageS of ConSump-
ton among her citizens Is it not
worth the effort to try and stop this
human slaughter in Florida? This
question is squaTely before you, MIR.
Legislator, and on your decision
within the next sixty days depends,
altOgatber whether the State Board
of Health is to be permitted to afford
relief to the INDECENT ConSumptiVeS of
the state. and to give them an oppor-
tunity to regain their health. In
retrospect of this subject, Mr.. Legis-
iator, can you not recall number of
consumptives Of youthful age-under
thirty-who were either clerks de-
pending upon their daily wage; or a
seamstress relying solely upon the
sewing machine for support? Often
times-moTe frequent than otherwise
more than one mouth has TO be fed
and body provided for with garments,
from the physical eXeTtions of these
diseased struggling individuals. Talk
to these people about going west, or
to Arizona or to New Mexico! What
nonsense. What folly. Where is the
money to come from for the change?
No, unless assisted by the state or
other charity, this class of sufferers
must 90 on working day by day. at
the desk and at the sewing machine
or other manual work, shortening
their own days and imperiling at the
same time, from contact with them,
the lives of those dearest who are
depending on their struggles. until
bedridden and impOverished-the
little savings gone-they die and
leave a family to want or, more
dreadful yet. infected with destructive
agents of the fatal malady, which
have killed either a father or mother.
The Journal hopes the laws asked
for by the board of health will pass
the legislature promptly. They should
be adopted unanimously. 1t is one
case in which unlimited power may
be conferred without danger that il
will be abused. Politics should have
nothing to do with the consideration
of so vital a subject. The health of
a people is their most precious pos
session; its preservation stands on a
plane far above the reach of faction
or partisan contention.
And, let it be borne in mind, that
along with power to act must go a
provision of means to act. Appro-
priations for preservation of health
governed by niggardly spirit.
The fight against tuberculosis and
other infections which reap every
year an awful though, at the same
time, unnecessary harvest OF life will
be long, bitter and expensive; but the
earnest workers who will take the
field against the enemy Will surely
conquer if backed by the various
forces of the government and by an
aroused public apprehension.