The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-12-01

low fever, free treatment for hook
worms in Florida, are all significant.
The success that has crowned the eff
forts along the line of prevention is
an indication of the zeal and energy
that are being exercised Diphtheria
is not only durable, but easily pre-
ventable. Small pox has been shorn
of its horrors by Jenner's vaccination,
or some modification of it. Typhoid,
that dreadful scourge, can be prevent
ed by a hypodermic Electromagnetic
bacterin. Lock-jaw germs and mad
dog bites can do us no harm, and the
infants of today will probably all es-
cape tuberculosis if We give them the
benefit of sleeping porches, and sea
to it that no tuberculosis germs gain
access to the cows milk that they
drink.
DEPRESSING, it may be stated that
all the preventives, medical and other
wise, mentioned above, are absolutely
free of charge in Florida to anyone
who is unable to pay-and there is no
red tape.
Medical instruction of the public is
branch of the question now before
us, but one quotation from a medical
authority will be sufficient for the
present, viz: "The medical profess
sion must educate the public, or the
people will never know the difference
between the capable and trustworthy
home physician and the one who de-
scribes your trouble accurately in lit
tie pamphlets sent through the mail,
or through the agency of the popular
newspapers.
At present the patent medicine man
educates the public to suit himself
and his description of cancer, Brights
disease, liver diseases, ETC., are SO
clever that very few people feel that
they are wholly free of some faint,
and so the medicine is taken on trial
no cure, no pay" The trial is u.s.
ually success, since the supposedly
afflicted person never had the disease
to begin with. However, he grateful
ly rushes into print, influencing 9TH
ers, and thus keeps the ball rolling.
Let me read from the Worlds Work !
what is being done in the way of pre-
ventive medicine:
Boston realizes that its citizens
are it's best resources, and one of the !
aims of this movement is to have, by |
1915, happier and better conditions |
for the workers themselves, and for |
their wives and children.
1.-THE chamber of commerce already |
has begun the battle by installing in |
stores and factories, where large num-
bers of people are employed, sys-
tenn of preventive clinics to guard the
worker against possible illness. It's
medical staff has calculated that dis
ease costs Boston $4,200,000 a year,
considerable proportion of which is
being eliminated by the new idea elm
les Any member of this organiza-
ton may, upon request, have clinic
established. In small places this con-
sists of a doctor who calls for GER
tain period each day, meets all en-
ployes who are feeling below par, in
structs them in the right way of liv-
ing and inspects the conditions under
which they work In larger establish
ments a room is set aside with nurse
in constant attendance"
In conclusion, it may be repeated
/ that medical examination of public
school children is one of the many
things that are now to the front in the
way of preventing disease. Thinkers
are alert, other forces are joining IN,
and the mdeical profession will have
| done no more than it's duty if the
children now in the first grades of our
primary department, when they are
old enough to hold the reins of gov
crnment, can say of US: They taught
us how to keep we'll"
| E. VAN HOOD, NJ. D.