Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-28
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
Six Hundred Thousand Die Every Year
From Preventnble Diseases.


The public health Ia a matter Of pub
lie education and at least 40 per cent II
| the deaths in the countrv-or Two out o.
every five-are due to ignorance or ne
elect OF well-known sanitary and other
| preventive measures. Splendid results
have already been accomplished in re-
ducing the preventable death list. Tho
public health is a matter Of public edu-
cation. The advance in science and in
public knowledge has reduced the death
rate (reg. area) from 1913 TO - thousand
population in 30 years
Over 10000 people will be alive in the
United States next New Years day who
would have died this year II the death
rate OF 1850 still prevailed. We have
learned by experience how 70 prolong
human life. And this accounts for the
increasing public interest in the conser
va ton of life and health
The tuberculosis death rate has de-
clined 50 per cent. in 20 years,-snd still
It is estimated that It Stays 100000 Ameri-
, cans annually. ana afflicts over 100000
who arc spreading the disease to others.
Typhoid Fever has been reduced 40
per cent; Dphtheria so per cent Pneu-
monia 10 per cent-and still these
diseases cost US $4,000 lives annually.
, Malaria is preventable but still tens OF
thousands are suffering from It. The
Hookworm Disease has been discovered
and It's cure and prevention are going on,
thousands are being successfully treat
ed every day. SMALLPOX has almost en-
| tirely disappeared as a deadly disease
Yellow Fever has been conquered Asia
| tic Cholera has been successfully resiste ed
at OUT seaports. Other communicable
diseases have decreased.
But diseases Of the heart Kidneys,
arteries. largely preventable or postpon-
able II detected in time) as we'll as can
Ger, etc, Of the on-communicable class.
have increased steadily-cancer 1870 per
cent; the others 10i per cent since 1880
Altogether over eoo0oo lives are lost an
nually from preventable cause Isn't II
worth while TO make an effort to reduce
this needless sacrifice OF human life?
Each community should maintain a
properly equipped and efficient public
health department with an energetic
experienced and adequately paid official
at Its head. The absence Of such a bu.
reau means many deaths from prevent
, able cause.
IL your water supply pure and fully
protected against contamination?
| is the sewerage system ample and Is
It used by all residents; or are part OF
them still helping 70 spread disease by
maintaining open or unprotected vault
Has a proper sanitary method been
adopted for disposing OF garbage?
Are there dirty streets, alleys, or back.
yards? Or stagnant POOLS OF water ir
the streets or near residences?
Is the official milk inspection rigid
and efficient?
Are consumptivee and those afflicted
with other communicable diseases proper.
ly supervised in order TO prevent them
from spreading their misery TO others
Arc there anywhere In your connun.
ity, accumulatiors of NTH ana Hike breed.
ipg-places Of flies md other serm-carry.
Ing insects?
Are the meats and other foods proper
ly inspected md protected from Mos
dust and other disease-oarricrs from tn,
time OF preparation for tho market unit
they reach tho consumers
II you have any OF these death-deai.
Ing agencies IN your neighborhood O,
town. do not ignore ,hon they arr
swelling the daily sick and death lists
In every community where they are per
rnitted to exist
Do YOU know Of any easier or cheaper
way to servo humanity ana yourself
than by lending your Influence to pro
mote tho great nationwide movement 70,
tho conservation OF human life'