Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-07-29
PUBLIC HEALTH.


20 a department of public health, with a
representative in the cabinet, but to
favor a consolidation Of federal bureaus
| handling quarantine and interstate health
matters. The committee on resolutions in
the Republican state convention in Yer
mont prepared a plank endorsing a pub
| lie health department, but it was with
drawn from the final draft for some
reason not clearly explained The
schools of medicine outside of the one
most generally in vogue are opposed to
the scheme and the cries of doctors
trust" have evidently made some of the
politicians chilly below the ankles. Sena-
tor Lodge is quoted as saying that a
bill for a federal department of public
health could not run the Congressional
gauntlet The movement for such a
department was urged by a committee of
100 from the American Association for
the Advancement of Science
In the literature that the committee
is sending out it is declared that the life
waste in this country is appalling, that
for nation to permit great wastes to go
unchecked is more than a suicidal policy,
and that race homicide is an evil more
destructive than race suicide. Four
great wastes are enumerated, the more
lamentable because unnecessary. They
are preventable deaths, preventable sick
ness, preventable conditions of low ply
steal and mental efficiency and prevent
able ignorance.
The facts are cold and bare-1 500, 900
persons must die in the United States
during the next twelve months; equival-
ent to 4,200 900 persons will be constantly
sick: over 100000 homes consisting of
25,0O0,0O0 persons, will be made more or
| less wretched by mortality and morbid
ity." This is the language of the commit
tee in urging that the time has arrived
when the government should organize its
forces more effectively for the cause of
good health we look with horror on
the black plague of the Middle Ages"
says the committee. The black waste
was but a passing cloud compared with
the white waste visitation. OF the people
living today over 600 900 will die of tuber-
cuoss. and the federal government does
not raise hand to help them"
The grewsOme comparison is made to
the effect that the department of agri-
culture spends, $7.0Oo00 every year on
plant health and animal health, but.
| Congress does not directly appropriate
one cent for promoting the physical we'll
being of babies. Thousands have been
| expended in stamping out cholera among
swine. but not one dollar was ever voted
for eradicating pneumonia among human
beings Hundreds of thousands are CON
cerned in saving the lives of elm trees
from the attacks Of beetles: in warning
farmers against blights affecting potato
plants; in importing Sicilian bugs to fer
tilize fig blossoms in California: in os-
tracisng various species Of weeds from
the ranks of useful plants. and in ex-
terminating parasitic growths that prey
on fruit trees. In fact. the department
of agriculture has expended in the last
ten years over 100000 But not a
wheel OF official machinery at Washing
ton was ever set in motion for the allevi-
alton or cure of diseases of the heart or
kidney which will carry off over six mil
lion of our entire population. Eight mil
lions will perish of pneum mia, and the
entire event is accepted by the American
people with a resignation equal to that
Of the Hindoo. who in the midst of indes-
cribable filth calmly awaits the day Of
the cholera"
In the next census period more than
5000 600 infants under two years of age
will end their little spans of life, while
mothers sit by and watch in utter help
! lessness. And yet this number could be
probably decreased by as much as one
half But nothing is done" 1t is pointed
out that the state rights doctrine can be
applied against the department of a gri-
culture as effectively as against a nation
al department Of health. The committee
is urging both political parties to take up
| the movement for a national health de-
| partment. 1t is likely much will he heard
Of the subject the next session of Con-
gress. While Congress is slow to create
more executive departments. it is clear
that II will be subjected to strong pres
! sure to authorize one in charge of public
/ health in the near future.
value and its promotion is the best kind
| of conservation. The time will come
when the iealouses of this or that school
Of medicine will not stand in the way of
such an Important movement.