Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-11

II Presidents Taft Forthcoming recon-
mendations to congress are followed out
by that body, the United states will at last
have a great health organization COM
mensurate with the needs Of the nation
The Department Of Agriculture can send
vaccine virus for the protection Of a
farmers cattle from blackleg, but only in
a most indirect way can the health agencies
take any steps to protect that farmer's
children from smallpox or scarlet fever.
The government stands powerless to check
the ravages OF tuberculosis in the human
family, although 1t can turn back the
spread Of Texas fever among cattle by
drawing a quarantine line north OF which
southern cattle may not go. except under
well-defined protective conditions.
But this is by no means the only feature
OF the existing health avs OF the nation
which call for a radical change. There
are a number Of bureaus now in operation
In the government that are concerned
principally with health matters. The pub
lie health and marine hospital service
ranks first among these. Under the able
administration Of Surgeon General Walter
wyman this service has made itself in
valuable to the nation at large. Its work
in stamping out the yellow fever epidemic
In the south a few years ago, its labors in
protecting San Francisco from the threat
ened outbreak OF pestilenoes after the
earthquake, its efforts to bring about a
Standardization OF all the heroic remedies
and the purity OF all viruses for vaccine
ton and anti-toxins, no less than us duty
of visiting every ship that comes to an
American port to make sure that QuAran-
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SO successfully that has been justly styled
Americas flying squadron for the defense
Of the national health.
The War department has its medica
corps, which has distinguished itself in
mary hand to hand conflicts with disease
end death. The triumphs of it's sanitary
work in Cuba, where the death rate In
Havana was cut In twain In a single year,
represents a great victory for public health
over the hosts OF pestilence. The work of
Major Walter Reed and his colaborers in
proving to the satisfaction of every medi-
cal man the truth Of the mosquito theory
of yellow fever transmission, constitute
one of the most brilliant chapters in the
book OF human progress. The labors OF
the army doctors on the isthmus OF
Panama, where the Reed theories were
again applied to practice, have borne glori'
Gus fruitage. The navy, also has it's medi-
cal corps, its hospitals and it's dispenser.
les.
The Department of Agriculture has itS
bureau of chemistry. and under the ad.
ministration of DIR. Wiley this bureau has
effected a Yeritable revolution In the dis
pensing OF food products. BY striving tC
guarantee to the people protection from
t misbranded and misrepresented products
and securing legislation to that end. this
bureau has made itself a force that AZ
, fccts every human being in the country
, The census office, in the Department OF
Commerce and Labor, gathers tbs NOR.
! tally statistics of the nation which revea
the state Of the public health. Thus -four
of the departments of the government have
a more or less direct relation to the pub
lie health.
With each of these agencies active in it,
work, it is inevitable that there should
be great overlapping OF duties, a continual
repetition of labor. With no coordination
among them, three departments at .onoC
may be making independent Investigations
OF the relations of the water supply e
typhoid fever. At least three Of these
, bureaus may be studying the relations be.
, tween milk and tuberculosis at the samC
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tons that much money is expended IN
duplication Of research, money that II
sorely needed or account Of the economical
policy of congress at present.
; With all these agencies concentrates
under one head. with each of them work.
, ing in proper cooperation with the others
the same money and the same effort now
expended would yield much greater re-.
turns in reduced mortality and Increased
longevity, 1t was to foster the idea Of
/, such a consolidation of health agencies tina
the Committee of One Hundred on Ma.
tional Health was created. This organiza.
ton has been active to such a degree thai
1t Is believed it's recommendations. which
have the approval of President Taft, will
be enacted into law before the present
session of congress adjourns. This com.
mittee has over 5000 names on it's mailing
list, and it has proved a great force in thu