The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-01-20
I TYPHOID IS
A DISGRACE
America Has More Of
The Disease Than
Any Country

Washington, D. C.. Jan 20.-"Therc
Is more typhoid fever in this country
than in any other civilized land" said
Dr.. NJ j. Rosenau OF the Harvard
medical school. Boston. Mass, In an
address delivered In this city today
before the third annual meeting of the
Association of Life Insurance Presl-
dents. The annual total Is $4,000
deaths and over 100000 cases This
Is a national disgrace and is due en-
tirely 10 lack Of education on the sub
ject We probably know more about
typhoid and its methods Of spread
and the means for its control than we
do OF any other disease. Yet right
here in our capital city there Is an
excessive amount OF typhoid. and this
rad story finds repetition in all our
large cities. II the public were taught
to fear typhoid az 1t does a case OF
cholera thore would soon be an end
OF IT,
In advocating a public health mill
tia In the cause OF preventive medi-
cine, / do not mean a marching col
umn Of men in uniforms. armed with
microscopes and dIsinfectants. The
public health militia that | have In
mind calls for the enrolment OF all
good citizens. Preventive medicine is
the watchword Of the hour. and enlist
ment In the cause can only come
can only come through education.
There are two important factors
in publlc health work. one is tho
gaining OF new knowledge through sci
cntfc research: the other is the diff
fusion OF this knowledge through odu-
cation, With prophetic foresight and
Characteristic energy. Harvard univer-
sItv has established a chair OF pre-
yentive medicine az an integral part
of its educational system. Not only
the medical profession, but the public
Al large should 10 enlightened. The
scientific and professional corps may
be the regular army. but the public
|. must be the reserve militia in any ef-
fective warfare against disease
When tho people understand that
typhoid fever is ia preyeDtablo as are
railroad accidents VIC shall have n
casus belli. and the courage needed
for a victorious campaign. The gov.
eminent now protects us from cholera,
leprosy, yellow fever and other exotic
plaques; WHY should It not also guard
us against the dangers that are pres
cnt as well rs those that arc bat re-
moteiy imminent? Present dangers
such az tuberculosis, pneumonia tv
rhoid fever and infantile diarrhoeas
Arc infections which reap the highest
toll Of death among us and arc foe
men worthy OF our best efforts.
When this matter is better under
stood. the state will be required tc
protect It's citizens against such pre-
ventable diseases. and the officials an
pointed 10 safeguard US will DO helf
responsible Just as the law now hold.
employers liable for preyent9ble accl
dents. Organizations Ike life insur
apce companies. with their Iegions q
doctors. armies or agents and hosts %
patrons. could lend an effective anr
useful hand in this worthy wa-far'
a-atnst disease The life ln8uranci
o'hcialS. not only as organizations. BIZ
individual citizens. could ant
should help in this campaign OF educa
hnn. and ought 10 foster frIitfGl ap'
useful legislation OF public hoaltl
character.
IT is the plain duty Of inc publ
health militia to sec that oUr govern
iHT bodies. whether the federal GOV
"snment, the state legislatures or IN
municipal assemblies enact publ