The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-03


fight against the thing that makes charity neces-
sary Who is to take care OF these people? Are
the whisky people going to do it? How long
will tolerate business that makes disease.
crime, poverty. that fills charity institutions.
asylums, jails, pententiaries and graves? Where
we collect few hundred dollars license fees
from whisky people pay thousands of dol
lars to help people who are In poverty, to keep
up charity institutions and asylums. to feed and
clothe rum drinkers in jails and all other ex-
penses that follow in the wake Of the hellish
whisky traffic How long will we persuade our.
selves to do such rdoulousy foolish thing?
How long will put up with and tolerate the
SUBSCRIBER.
Tn Defense OF Mr.. Blake.
Editor OF Richmond virginian:
Sir,-~We sorry that Mr. Blake was not
sion between the health officer and the coun-
Gil: for he wasocertainly on the right track,
only his start. If the papers quoted correctly.
was rather rapid for this charming old town.
that is still sleeping. and calculated to
startle, to shock; 1t is not well to arouse the
sleeping too suddenly. One must go slowly, very
slowly especially in ideas of change or reform),
If he does not want to be tripped, for the roads
are not only narrow, but filled with political
and every other sort of strings, with some one
always ready to pull and only one who sees
ahead and does not agree with the majority
which is frequently wrong. is liable to be trip
ped unless he move with great caution.
The theory Of germs Is all right. but 1t Is the
excess to which the theory Is being carried that
is. the councilman said, IAN d foolish
ness" and worse. Every intelligent person
knows that there have been and always VIII
begerms which are injurious to health. not
withstanding scientific research and expert
mentation, for IT Is to the advantage OF the
medical profe ssion to discover germs, and their
danger 10 life $50 considered), but not to err
terminate them. It Is much more proftably to
create all sorts Of health boards (such the
National Bureau Of Health. for instance), to
educate CD the people in the of the various
remedies. guessed at, and suggested by So
called science"
That "all doctors and especially health board
lapt CIn 10 .k1Iye baI io hrca cfnfa
ment but in way right. If there is no other
way of saving life.
Automobiles are a menace to life just as
the medical science OF the present day Is, un
doubtedly; and advanced thinkers all over the
country aroused to that fact, but We do not
expect anything but opposition and ridcule
| (here) for any who would Introduce the
idea, Dust as suffrage has been ridiculedD
| Automobiles are menace to life, but We
would not abolish them.
| Scientific experimentation Is to
] life; has reached the same dangerous speed.
in the practice of medicine have been lost sight
! of. common sense and tact. They have been
left to languish the road side. while the
Juggernaut tautomohiie) of science" is
| crushing out human ife just the auto Is
doing daily.
/ We do not need more doctors or more health
bureaus. more expensive preventiVes. but
what we do need, are more rigid laws govern
ing doctors. health boards and automobiles
and some one to see that the laws enforced.
/ As official said when told that the code
required certain information to be in his keep
ing, Il know nothing about IT. And
there are great many laws MAIDS that never
reinforced"
Now may ask why pay thousands of
dollars to the General Assembly to make la>s >
that are never enforced? Just for the State to
care for some political ignoramus, We pre-
sumo. who pulled the strings at the proper
time, and secured the Job"
| And so on down the line. the city, the State.
the nations money. being many times uselessly
medical profession is just great ring. -
fortified with Just much red tape" ('medi-
cal ethics'o as the most political ring that ever
existed. doing far more harm. for the latter and
only affects the publc's finances the former
the public's health.
1t is most excellent idea to abolish the
drinking cup, if feasible. but we think the
money could be spent to better advantage for
the people of Richmond, by improving the
street cleaning facilities. for think the germs
to be found in the dirt the streets of Rich
mond, with which all have to in l.
tact, whether they wish or not would out
number the germs to be found on all the drink
ing cups thousand to II germs were
as dangerous the profession would have
us believe, 1t is astonishing that so many
tramps live for long time.
Fl. PARRAM PE11COLAs.
| Richmond. Va. Sept. 20.
Suggesting Editorials
Editor of Richmond Nirgnian
Sir-You asked short time ago for some
thing to take the place of politics and the Beat
tie trial
i will suggest that you take up the matter of
the public health.
There is great need OF instruction along this
line. The health department bulletins are good
but do not reach enough people. The import
ant matters OF sanitation ventilation cieanli-
ness, prevention Of diseases. such AZ typhoid
consumption hook worm. The country people
greatly need arousng to the Importance OF such
matters and instruction In regard to them.
II you will look in the Letter Digest Of August
2s you will find suggestive article along this
line
Then the intemperance of cigarette smoking
needs warning about Our boys, at the tender age
re getting addicted to 1t, and 1t Ia doing great
harm. There should be strict laws against
selling them to minors. instruction in the pub
lie schools and prevention Of these. There are
many practical matters where a paper can be
helpful and become almost Indispensable. FaI
better such matter than much OF the FILLER,
which Is not worth the paper II IL printed on
IT may cost more to get 1t np. hut 1t WILL pay
The health department would welcome your
aid and use your columns. and many would
be encouraged TO write helpful articles for pub.
LEGATION.
Yours. &c.
j. L. S.
Crozet, Va. Sept. ~, 1911.