New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-09-02
PUBLIC HEALTH.

backed ny enlightened public
sentiment.
1t is conceded that health is
fundamental in individual devel-
opment and general welfare. but
it is also obvious that immediate {
constructive measures for better
ment of sanitary conditions are
far from the public mind
To bring about a changed atii-
Itudc. two measures are elemental {;
!, instruction, general and specl
fir, on health matters aad in pop
ular terms. =, enforcement OF
necessary legislation.
The second depends on the
first. A community awake to the
danger of insanitary environment
will demand enforcement of the
law a community apatheIic to the
sanitary evils that obtain, will not
attempt remedy.
Louisiana. is fortunate in having
an adequate sanitary code, recent
ly revised, and sufficient authority
vested in health officers to enforce
rules and regulations for the pro.
motion of public health.
TO quote from Lawrence Vel
lier. 1--WE have hitherto not been
civilized enough or intelligent
enough to spend money for the
preservation Of health. " The
health department Of almost every
city and state OF the Union is ter
ribly undermanned. 1t cannot be
gin to de what it knows to be i'm.
peratively necessary for public
health welfare. The budgets ap
propriate thousands Of dollars fol
property protection to one for the
protection Of healthY This 10 one
cause Of laxity in enforcement OF
the law.
There ia another, perhaps, equal.
ly responsible for inactivity in
health affairs. It is the general
custom Of depending on the in
dividual to report as a nuisance
insanitary conditions. Often, thu
only result Of such complaint is
"hard feelings,~o the part oI
nei = b abeteIl snt OF
the kpection,s thor
oughyz (e~Stfc and periodic Is
the only method of elimination oI
sanitary evils in the first plac q
and for premanence Of excellence
Of conditions.
Inspection implies intelligent di
rect ion. and q trained force oi
sanitary. experts, which implies
also sufficient amount to pay fol
this kind Of service.
The people of this country ex
pend annually ten million dollars
for screening as a protection from
Aies and mosquitoes. No comment
is needed. With a 21-cent healtl
department Chicago can hold tn,
gross death rate under 16 per 1OO(
for a few years. It can hold thu
number Of deaths from diptheri'
at about 500; from scarlet fever
at about 600 typhoid at abou
300, and baby deaths from summer
| complaints about 5000. A healtf
department spending so cents pei
capita should put diptheria to
say, 100 deaths per year, scarle
fever to about 500. and cut off
rer cent from consumption mortal
,hy.
In cities of fewer inhabitants, I
smaller amount per capita vouIt
be sufficient to ensure freedom
from preventable diseases. and il
small towns a propertinately de
creasing amount would avail. pro
vided the fundamentals Of sanitar,
conditions such as sewerage. wa
ter, and sanitary convenience
were installed and paid for.
| It is a common habit Of mine
to estimate the cost Of disease il
Towns Of money only; but this j
unimportant compared with othe
elements. Lowered earning ca
pacity, tendency toward vice an
crime. race deterioration, and in
dividual inefficiency result fror
Ignorance Of health laws and lac
Of application Of principles Of hy
gienc. To tolerated conducive t
inefficiency and helplessness
!. both uneconomic and unwise. ADJ
quate health machinery is a
"ounce" Of prevention; withor
it the community pays tn
pound" Of cure.
Conservation Of resource is tn
dominant note of all modern e
fort. The health Of its citizens
a nations most valuable asset. !
: conserve material things, land an
forest, water and minerals. wit
out provision for the conservatio
Of that which is basic--fund
! mental--is unwise and unethics
: The social structure of tods
2 is the most complex known in Il
!. !. worlds history. Changed indu
trial conditions necsssitate Il
= possession Of skill hitherto u
: called for; new attitudes of mir
and new temptations demand j
]. creased strength. even grace.
character; manifold interes,
problems and activities call I
intelligence of a high order.
: meet the pressure Of this enviro
i enent the citizen must be equippe
: fiat Of all, with a good body, wi