The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-19
GOOD RESULTS
FROM WORK OF
HEALTH BOARD
Marked Improvement in SAM
tary Conditions Throughout
the State Noted.
ENCOURAGING FACTS IN
REPORT OF DR.. BEATTY
PUBLIC BECOMING EDUCATED
AND MORE HEED is GIVEN TO
HEALTH MEASURES.

The biennial report Of DIT. +. 3. Beatty,
secretary and executive officer of the
Utah state Board of Health, while con-
densed as much as possible and still COW
ering all the important features Of the
work Of the board for the last two years.
Is still a massive document and probably
one of the most comprehensive reports
ever presented regarding the sanitary and
health conditions in this state. Il is re-
piete with valuable information and shows
that the board has worked faithfully and
with decided results in lettering the con-
ditioBs in Utah. The information it con-
tains is gratifying I'm a very large meas
ure, for the report shows that during the
last two years there has been a marked
Improvement in the sanitary conditions
throughout the state aud I'm general a de-
crease In the mOrbdity and mortality rates
especially those of communicable diseases.
This, DR.. Beatty states, indicates that an
increased interest has been taken by the
public generally in questions of the pub
lie health and IN sanitary measures lie
says that the solution of the public health
problem is the extension of knowledge on
the subject and every practical method of
accomplishing this purpose should be pro
vided in the state. Necessary and use
full as are the laws reads the report.
they are effective only so far as the
general intelligence Of the people will in
duce their enforcement
Tn report submitted includes the tab
ulatiau of births and deaths for 1907, but
it has been impossible 20 complete the
compilations for 1905 because Of INSULT
Gent clerical assistance.
After calling attention to the improve
ment shown I'm health conditions generally
DR.. Beatty begins his report as follows
State Naturally HeaIthfuI.
Utah is particularly blessed with all the
natural conditions conducive to the iudi-
vidual and the public health. The climate
is unexcelled and from the tops of the
mountains flow perpetually the purest Of
water, distributed by streams as to be
available to a large majority Of the towns
and settlements. The soil and drainage
conditions are almost universally favor
able. The state is not densely populated
With all these advantages the problems
of disease prevention are much more sim
pie and easily solved than in other parts
Of the country and the state should lead
in the great work which is engaging the
attention of the civilized world which has
for its object the reduction Of deaths from
pTeventabIe causes. OF these there are
in Utah annually not less than 1,2lJ, and
no other question can exceed in import
auce that of their prevention
From the sordid standpoint of dollars
and cents alone the loss involved in the
needless. because pTeyentable, destruction
of these lives. together with that result
ing from the thousands of cases which re-
cover. is enormous In view Of these facts
it would seem incongruous that the an
nuaI state appropriation for the preven-
ton of this definitely preventabIe loss has
not exceeded ~ cents per capita, and
further that the amount appropriated for
the destruction Of predatory animals which
prey upon live stock has been double that
for the protection Of the lives Of the peo-
pie
The inference to be drawn is not that
sheep and cattle are more valuable in the
estimation Of the people than children
but that as yet the majority look upon
disease as inevitable and are unaware OF
the great discoveries Of recent years which
have positively demonstrated the cause
and means Of prevention Of at least one
third of all deaths. including those from
tuberculosis. typhoid fever. diphtherta, and
the other COnmunica bic diseases.
ct has been the aim Of the state board
of health with the limited means at its
command to disseminate information and
to secure the cooperation Of the people
in all parts OF the state. Monthly bulle-
tins are distributed and published in the
newspapers and local health officers are
urged to give instruction and to promote
an intelligent recognition Of and COM
pliance with health measures.
Health Meetings Important.
Dr. Beatty calls attention TO the i'm
portance of attendance upon the part u
the health officers of the state at the
annual meetings inaugurated BIZ the state
board of health. To secure a more COM
plete attendance the state board submit
ted q measure to the legislature making
provisions for this annual meeting and
providing for the necessary expenses in
CURED by individual officers IN attending
it. This law was enacted I'm 1907, but the
report states that at the meeting in April.
1905. not more than One-half Of the total
number Of health officers in the state
were present. There were seventy pres
ent. Dr.. Beatty says,
In view of the great importance Of
these meetings. at which are discussed the
various questions involved in the proven
ton of disease and the duties of health
Officers and through them the education
of the public, it is of the utmost import
ance that no locality should be unrepre-
scented. and the county and town officials
who failed to send q delegate not only
deliberately violated the law. but as well
their sworn duty to protect the people
1t is the intention of the state board OF
health to hereafter strictly enforce the law
and proceed against all who violate it,
DR.. Beatty cOmmends the actions on the
part OF many citizens in making general
Continued on Page 7.