Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-20
UNITED STATES LEADS
IN TYPHOID fever
LIFE INSURANCE HEADS HEAH
STARTLING STATEMENT
MADE.
MORE CASES IN STATES
THAN IN ALL THE LANE
Cases Of Prsventable Disease Numbes
$4,000 Annually and Average Total
of Deaths is s5,ooo-Movement 10
ProIons Lifo Gets lmpetus-carrolI
Address Governors Meeting.
Special to rimes-R.pubilcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Washington, JAN 20.--Irrigation. ex-
tradition. mining and divorce, vera
questions on which four governors
spoke today before the governors con-
ference. Governor Brady. of Idaho.
talked on irrigation: Ansel. Of South
Carolina, on extradition: Sloan. OF Arr
iZona. on mining. and Carroll, OF Iowa,
ON divorce.
The movement to prolong human
life was the topic discussed by the
various speakers today before the As
sociation of Life Insurance Presidents,
IL number of addresses on the subject
being delivered.
Typhoid's Heavy Toll.
There is moro typhoid fever In this
country than In any other civilized
land" said DIR. II. j. Rosenau OF the
Harvard Medical School. Boston. MASS,
in an address delivered In this city to-
day before the third annual meeting OF
the Association of Life Insurance pres-
idents. The annual total Is $4,000
deaths and over 100000 cases. This II
national disgrace and Is due entire
ly to lack of education on the SUBJ
ject. We probably know more about
typhoid and It's methods OF spread and
the means for Its control than we do
of any other disease Yet right here In
our capital city there Is an excessive
amount of typhoid and this sad story
finds repetition in all our largo cisies
II the public were taught to fear ty-
| phoid as 1t does a case OF cholera there
would soon be an end of It.
In advocating public health mil.
| yty
icine, I do not mean n marching col
umn of men in uniforms armed with
microscopes and dislnfectants Ths
public health militia that u have in
mind calls for the enrolment OF all
good citizens. Preventive medicine il
the watchword of the hour and enlist.
ment In the cause can come only thry
| education.
There are two Important factors II
public health work One is the gain.
! ing of new knowledge thru scientific
research: the other Is the diffusion oil
this knowledge thru education. with
prophetic foresight. and characteristic
energy. Harvard University has es-
tablished n chair of preventive madi
cine as an integral part of its edu.
cntional system. Not only the medical
profession. but the public at large
should be enlightened. Tho scientific
and professional corps may be the reg.
nlar army, but the public must be thu
reserve militia In any effective warfare
against disease
When the people understand that
typhoid fever Is as preventable ms are
railroad accidents we shall haye
casus bclli. and the courage needed for
II victorious campaign. Tho governs
ment now protects us from cholera
4 leprosy, yellow fever and other exotic
plaques, why should it not also guard
us against the dangers that are pres-
ent as well as those that ara
hut remotely imminent? Present
dangers such ms tuberculosis. pneu.
monia. typhoid foyer and infantils
!, dlnrrhoeas, are infections which rean
} the highest toll Of death among us and
are foemen worthy of our best ef-
forts.
/ when this matter Is better under.
} stod, the state VIII he required to pro-
| tect its citizens against such prevent.
able diseases and the officials appoint.
ed to safeguard us will be held re-
sponsible just as the law now holds
/ employers liable for preventable acct.
dents. Organizations like life insur.
l ance companies with their legions OF
$ doctors. armies of agents and hosts OF
patrons could lend an effective and
; useful hand In this worthy warfare
( against disease, The life insurance OF.
ficials not only AS organizations. but
as individual citizens, could and should
help in this campaign of education. and
ought to foster fruitful and useful leg
islation of public health character
ut is the plain duty of the public
health militia to see that our governs
ing bodies whether the federal gov.
ernment. the state legislatures or tha
municipal assemblies enact public
health measures of an obvious useful
and tried nature and also provide fol-
: their enforcement