The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-05-12
APPLICATION OF HYGIENE
AND SANITARY MEASURES
Inc States Duty In the Conservation Of Human Life Written by Dr. H.
Sutherland Of Rosedae and Published at the Request Of Dr.
J. ". Young Grenada County Health Officer

The spirit of conservation of natural
resources is taking strong hold on the
American mind, but like most waves Of
educational progress, it begins in the
far east and gradually filters through to
US OF the south, like the influenza and
the fashions of our ladies' hats and
gowns.
Just now we are being regaled thru
fhe press with scandals in the cOnser-
walton Of the forests, water power and
mineral lands, but this even will serve
a valuable end. in bringing the conser-
walton idea before the people more i'm
pressively than otherwise could have
been done.
The conservation spirit is manifest
ing itself in our commercial develop
ment, and in all things that help US TO
longer strides in the acquisition of
wealth. We see it in our department
of animal industry, in which :ar0e ap-
preparations are made for the investi-
CATION of diseases which affect our hor-
ses, cattle, sheep, hogs, and even the
hen that lays the golden egg. These
are not done from humane considera-
tiOns, but are cold business PROPOSE
tions, to conserve our resources and
promote our industries,
The medical profession is doing its
part in this great work of conserva-
ton, having for its sphere of endeavor
the relief Of suffering, the reduction Of
our death rate, the prolongation of the
life period and the raising of the stand
ard of physical development of our
people. Fl
We are conscious that one-half or
more of our annual loss of life is .
needless sacrifice to ignorance, and 10
q heavy drain upon our state, through
what is known as preventable diseases.
The application Of hygiene and sani-
ary measures to the prevention of dis
ease should always be function of the
state, and is 90 recognized by every
state In our union, except PERHAPS
Mississippi. make this exception be-
cause no adequate provision has been
made by our legislature for CARRYING
out . work Of such magnitude and i'm
With the progress of civilization
comes the acceptance Of the principle
that the a1fiicted. the. weaklings nd
buman dseelcts must be carried, a. q
charge upon the state; and the harden
! grows, and BIDS fair TO become heavy.
but we cannot afford to let it be borne
BY individual charity. These have.been
laid At our gate, and our civilization
will not permit US to ignore the respon-
sibility. True, we have our hospitals
| for the care of the sick and insane, tut
would it not be far better for our state
to reverse its policy by preventing dis
| ease?
1t seems to be difficult matter for
statesmen to understand that public
health is public wealth. Lord Bea-
consfield said: 1.-THE public health is
the foundation on which reposes the
happiness of the people and the power
of country; the care of the public
health is the first duty of a states
man,"
The Mississippi State Medical Asso-
citation, an organized body of the best
physicians in our state, a thousand
strong, and sixty years old, met de-
feat at the hands of our lats legisla-
ture upon three requests.
To require high school education
before entering upon the study of med
icine, and then graduation from a stan
dard medical school, requiring four.
| years course of study before license to
enter the practice of medicine can be
granted. This was intended to safe
guard the public health by raising the
standard OF medical education.
To require all physicians and mid
! wives to register all births and deaths,
as our first step in vital statistics; and,
To appropriate SIS, 200 year to
be used by our state board. of health in
sending lecturers over our state and
for the publication of literature, to
teach the people concerning the causes
of disease and how to avoid them. Pub
lie health is matter of public educa-
ton.
They turned deaf ear to US, but the
livestock people got $40, 900 for the
prevention of disease in their animals.
We take consolation, however, from
the fact that in this act the principle of
conservation of health has been recog-
nized by our state, and we may yet be
able to persuade our people that hu-
man life is also worth saving.
Sick people are an expense to the
state, whether the burden be borne by
the state or by individuals, for the
wealth of state is but the aggregate
wealth of its people, and any state that
will not assume the duty of caring for
the public health will fail in its compe-
tition with other states.
Under Spanish rule, Porto Rico was
Frustrated from the effects of hook
worm, and her industries languished.
Our government, with its sanitary de-
partmenr interviewed, the disease disap-
peared and prosperity came.
No army can move a days journey,
no navy can put to sea, and no nation
or state can long survive without a
health department.
will not trespass on your time to
discuss all of the principal preventable
diseases from which our greatest NOR
tality comes: typhoid, tuberculosis, ma
laria and hook-worm, but will confine
my remarks mainly to tuberculosis, or
consumption, which is a subject OF
growing interest to US in Mississippi,
on account of our necessary close con-
tact with the negro. This disease is
| IN p;dlx, ;rorooo;pc orrAru thorp and my