The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-21
]. S. IS NATION
OF DRUG F|ENDs
DR.. Wiley Raps Alcohol and Saloons
in Advocating National Health
Board.

NEW YORK. Feb. 21.--After DR.. H.
r. Wiley. noted chemist of the 1e-
partment of agriculture, has declared
that We are nation of drug fiends,"
and are wasting billions OF dollars
owing to careless regard for health.
DR.. Eugene II. Porter, commissioners
of health of New York; Prof A. Z.
Abbott, of the department OF hygiene
at the University OF Pennsylvania;
George l.. Flanders. president of Asso-
citation of State and National Fores-
try departments, and other eminNnt
men at the luncheon OF the Republic
an club. made insistent demands for
national health board.
I'VE don't seems to care anything
about our health" said DR.. Wiley. I'VE
are the drug-habit nation. We don't
feel satisfied unless we take some
thing for everything We are a coun-
try OF drug fiends--drug slaves. The
present indiscriminate sale OF drugs
threatens the public health fully as
seriously as does impure food.
Wed all be better off In this coun-
try IL we had no alcohol. We can do
without it, and / would like to see
universal prohibition. Even the Ger
man emperor agrees with me on that
point. 1t Is fortunate for him that
his Office is not an elective one. IL
would be the best thing for us IL we
would close up every brewery and lis
tillery in this country. Alcohol Is one
of the drugs-only one-that's sap
ping the life of our citizens.
I'VE are counting death every lay
through defiance of life rules. Death
Is lurking constantly at our side, and
vet we ignore the monster DO you
know how much money 1t takes TO
kill a man and then bury him? A
countless amount.
There are 100000 physicians N
this country-120,000 men living on
princely salaries because we ignore
the possibility OF our losing our
health. Why should men die at all?
But IL we are TO die, let us die
all at once, not piecemeal. Let us
retain our vital ability up TO the last.
We ourselves cannot afford to die be-
fore our time. and we can not AFFORD
to let between 100 and $50 out Oh
every 1000 of our babies under five
years OF age die every year.
pr Wiley advocated the depopula-
ton of cities as far as possible and
the more stringent enforcement OF
nure food laws as methods of better
protecting the national health"
There's no reason why the gov
eminent should not maintain ma
tional health department. The gov
eminent cares for the great American
hog, out in Iowa: why not the great
American citizen?
Health Commissioner Porter toi-
lowing the governments expert, was
even palmer in his language.
There are 100000 persons sick
every year i'm the United States, he
said. and 100000 OF these are sick
of preventable diseases. Six hundred
and fifty thousand people die before
their time every year In this country.
Not only that. but there are thousands
of balf-dead men and women in this
country.
They are n terrible tax-billions CT
dollars they cost us. In less than i've
years, IL we could prevent diseases
we know are preventable. with me
money saved. we could pay our ma
tional debt, and buy up that OF all
the other nations OF the earth, be-
sides.
III believe that IL every bar and sa-
loon i'm this country were abolished
this afternoon we would be stronger
and a better people.
Alcohol has never done any me
any good Furthermore, we are .he
most drug-addicted people In the
world. Patent medicines, home med
icines. and other drugs thrive amons