The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-04-13
MONEY LOSS is GREAT.

fOrth-unclean cities and bad SANTA
ton.
MONEY LOSS is GREAT.
Measuring the money value of an
American citizen at $1,70O this pre-
ventable loss by death is one thou
sand millions of dollars annually,
equal to the gross income of the Unit
ed States government.
"There are 100000 people in the
United States on the sick list from
preventable causes, of whom 100000
are in the working period of life;
about three quarters Of a million &C
tual workers losing on an average Of
$500 per annum, an approximate loss
from illness of five hundred million
dollars, and, adding a reasonable al
lowance for medicine, medical at
tendance, special food and care,
like sum of five hundred millions,
these losses would make another
thousand million dollars of prevent
able loss to the people of the United
States"
Declaring his preference for de-
partment, rather than for bureau Of
health, Mr.. Owen continued:
BUREAUS NOT EFFICIENT.
I'VE have had bureaus for one hun
dred years. They are scattered in
eight departments. They have been
disconnected and without co-ordina-
tion. They have ever been jealous Of
each other, the one multiplying and
hampering the work of another. They
have been without a responsible head
because of this subdivision and be-
cause the chief of the most 'impor-
tant of these bureaus, the surgeon
general of the public health and ma.
rine hospital service, cannot express
an opinion or give information until
he has consulted the Secretary of the
Treasury.
"The Secretary of the Treasury was
not selected as a cabinet officer be-
cause of his knowledge of the public
health, but because he was an expert
on finance. At present our cabinet
expert on finance directs government
activities in controlling bubonic pla-
que, and the board of trade and the
cOmmercialized physicians of San
: Francisco would be more important
in his eyes in all human probability
than the chief of one Of his subordi-
nate bureaus; at all events tnis was
true as to a previous secretary.
Under a department of public
health these problems can be worked
out with far greater efficiency. The
cooperation of the authorities of the
several states of the Union and OF
the several states, each one operated
along the lines of constitutional pro-
priety, can be established by a de-
partment of public health with much
greater efficiency than through sub
ordinate bureau.
This is a question of vast nationa
Importance. In eight years we have
increased our expenditures over tho
average of preceding years by the
huge sum of one thousand millions
for the arm yand navy, and are spend
ing 20 per cent of the national in
come to cover the obligations of past
wars and the preparation for possible
future war, or about seven hundred
millions per annum. But for war OF
preventable disease now costing us
infinite treasure in life, efficiency anC
commercial power and prestige we
spend nothing and do not even EN-
ploy the agencies we have in an eff
cient manner.
URGES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
"In the name of the people and il
the name of the American Medica
Association, whose members are thu
faithful and sells sacrificing guardian
of the health of our people, and il
the name of the committee Of ont
hundreds of the American Federation
, of Labor, of the National Grange an
/ of the various health boards of tn
forty-six states of the Union and o
. the great body of learned men desir
ing improved sanitation, and the ap