Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-13
ALL AMERICANS
URGED TO JOIN
Health League Calls Upon
Countrp to Prevent Loss of
Life and Health.

NEW YORK, Feb. 12.-Calling upon
all Americans 10 urge congress TO,
prevent loss of life and health by ere
.ting a national bureau of public
health, leaders of the American Health
League announced in this city. after
a meeting OF their executive commit
tee. that legislature would soon be in
troduced to this end at Washington
on a non partisan basis. Responding
to general demands for such scien-
tific check to the preventable disease
that is now known to cost the nation
$500, 100000 in life and labor each
year. officers of this organization are
making every effort 10 have law speed
jly made of their recommendation, that
was contained in the platform of the
three leading parties in the last presi-
dltial campaign and has been advo-
Gated by leaders Of every political
faith ever since. President Taft has
Just assured Representatives of the
American Medical Association and
American Health League, they de-
clare, that ne is heartily in favor OF
this plan. If the people of every sec
tion of the land will declare them
selves on this vital question in the
next few weeks, it is asserted, Uncle
Sam NAV soon be brought TO give the
Sam may soon be brought 10 give the
fare of human beings that he now
does TO that OF sheep, cattle. hens
and hogs.
Showing the immediate need OF a
federal health bureau to warn the
people of this country of the dangers
that menace their vitality in the most
common walks Of every day life, the
American Health League is calling at
tention to drugs as well as disease
with which every American may ccmeI
in harmful contact through lack OF
knowledge OF the principles of personal
hygiene. Numerous forms of drug
HGDltS are biOit RACFo'N'tN
everywhere in the United States than
most people realize, its officers as
.ert. The dangers of cocaine, NOR
phine ard opium have been prominent
~ brought before the public by the
American Health League and vigorous
efforts are being made to control and
minimize their sale. In recent adj
dress at Washington, DR.. Harvey W.
Wiley has called attention not only to
use of caffeine, which he asserts is
;he most common habit-fOrming drug
in this country, where over G0,OO0,00G,
rounds of coffee containing it are con-
sumed each year, according to recent
statistics. besides temperance drinks
in which caffeine is sometimes found.
tuberculosis and many other dread
ed diseases might be checked and
avoided in America through the edu-
cationai activities of the proposed ma
tional bureau of health, it is pointed
out. Fully 100000 of the deaths due
each year to the great white plague
in this country could be prevented, the
American Health League declares,
while systematic activities by the gov
eminent might result in frightening
the average life in this country as
much as fifteen years. When con-
cress IS brought to realize the bene-
1T to human life that must follow the
creation of a national health bureau
this project Of the people should be
at once assured. it is predicted.
No political consideration should
enter into the action Of congress on
the health bureau bill that we are
urging. because the whole people and
every one of the principal parties
have already endorsed it," said on Of
ficer Of the American Health Bureau
Fractional feeling and paris lines
must be wiped out in approaching so
universally important a Humanitarian
measure. we believe. If every Ameri-
can who prizes human life and health
wsII ioin us in urging the creation Of
this highly necessary bureau to in
crease the nations vitality. the sue
tess of the movement viii be as
sursd.-