The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-02-24
plea Of Health officers.

In a communication recently put ont
from its New York headquarters. ON.
cials of the bureau OF health, say:
Responding to general demands fer
such a scientific check To the prevent
able diseases and deaths that are now
coo in life and labor each year. Off,
GERS Of this organization are making
every effort to have n law speedily
made of their recommendation which
was contained in the platform OF the
three leading parties in the last pres.
Idential campaign and which has been
advocated by leaders Of every political
faith since that time President Taft
has just assured representatives. Of
the American Medical association and
American Health league. they declare,
that he Is heartily in favor Of this
plan. II the people OF every section
of the land will declare themselves on
this vital question in the next few
weeks. It is asserted Uncle Sam soon
may be persuaded to give the same at.
tention to the physical welfare of hu.
man beings that he now does to that
Of sheep. cattle hens and hogs"
The friends OF the plan for a health
bureau under government control say
that the bureau is particularly neces.
sary to warn the people Of this coun.
try "of the dangers that menace their
vitality in the most common walks Of
everyday life" Then the American
Health league says that Il is calling
attention to drugs as well as diseases.
Declaration is made that numerous
forms of drug habits are becoming
more prevalent everywhere in the
United States than people realize, Thu
dangers Of cocaine. morphine and OPT
UNI are pointed out. and II is said that
vigorous efforts which are being made
to control and minimize their sale
ought to have the sanction, the back.
ing and the aid Of government bu,
reau.
While physicians are trying TO get
government recognition of the need
of federal safeguards for the health
of tho nation, socioloEIsts arc trying
to get Uncle Sam TO establish what
for lack Of n better name they call
n Laboratory of CriminoloEy The
subcommittee of the committee on ju
dietary has Just reported fayorably
bill which appropriated a sum Of
money for the establishment Of such
laboratory or bureau. II Is not the
intention of the lawmakers, II they
pass a bill of this kind to make the
bureau large AFFAIR. What the
friends Of the measure want is to
have appointed three or four special.
lists in criminology who will make
deep study of the causes Of crime
with a view of finding out II It ia not
possible in some way to bring to bear
the preventive measures which are so
much better than cure measures.
Crime l Disease.
Some people go so far as to say that
crime in many of its forms is dis.
ease. A great many people admit that
crime is frequently committed by per.
sons who are the victims OF circum.
stances and who are not impelled to
crime by what may be called real
criminal motives. If congress shall
establish bureau of criminology the
experts will study living conditions of
the people, the effect Of poverty and
liquor drinking on crime. and many
other subjects which may shed light |
upon the main question. The same |
argument that is used by physicians
for the establishment Of such bureau |
as they want is used by the friends of |
the other project. They say that II |
Uncle Sam is willing to spend millions |
every year through the agricultural |
department to check the ravages OF in.
sect pests, that no ought to be willing |
to spend a few thousands to check the |
ravages OF crime. In recent years |
congress has paid more attention to
what may be called sociological mat. |
tiers than 1t ever did before. The |
study nr uppinlnyical euhiacte ba, |