Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-09-16

N's"Ns "'" $50 P~c~s~S sss w
Tor life Is quite marked. In the mat.
ter Of tuberculosis, also a prevent
able disease, we can conserve mark
eddy. The average death rate from
Tuberculosis In 10 years, 1900 to 1903,
was 1879 per 100, 900; in 1910, 100; and
in the next ten years should be at
least 80 per cent lower. In diphth-
eria, another preveatable disease, the
average death rate for 10 years, 1900
to 1899, was 27.3. In 1910 1t was only
81. but with the timely use of anti.
toxin 1t should not be over 5.
Cur infantile death rate Is also
much higher than that OF foreign
countries. For 1910 the average per
1000 births under one year of &
was l66. While that of II foreign
countries a 1870. In North Dakota
IA OF all the deaths in 1910 was
those of infants under one year Of
age, and 13 OF all deaths were In
children less than five years of age.
The fundamental causes of ~infantile
mortality are mainly the result OF
poverty, ignorance and neglect. There
is no excuse for this and a remedy
must be found.
The hope OF the state is in the chill.
dren and we should give every one a
fair chance to become IN efficient
unit In our civilization. From the
foregoing figures 1t is apparent that
Improvement has been made. The
old principles OF sanitation have
gradually changed into new ones. The
old style sanitary inspector condem-
ned everything in sight from the gar
bage pail at the back door to the
plumbing in the bath room, because
1t was taught that infectious diseases
generated In the foul, ill-smelling,
sunless and unventilated novels Of
the Sums. When these diseases in
vaded the homes OF the well to do,
were this explanation could not be
applied, a leak in some plumbing
fixture amply accounted for dipth.
eria; rotten potatoes which were for
gOtten in some dark corner of the eel
lar, for typhoid fever; scarlet fever
was traced TO some letter which
had been received from a person who,
months before, had had scarlet fever;
II uLu Ol1Ail pOA was COutl tClCu llOul
some book which had been read by a
patient % years before. Yellow fever
and malaria were directly, contagious
and were carried from individual to
individual. tuberculosis was heredi.
tary and not transmissible from per-
son to person.
Today we sec in the garbage pail
merely a place where the flies feed
and breed; but a fly cannot carry in.
lection if the Infectious discharges
are not accessible. 1t has been c0n
clusively shown that a leaking water
pipe or drain pipe has nothing to do
with the spread of disease, providing
there be no leakage Of infected sew
age.
A patient suffering with yellow few
Ter or malaria cannot give the disease
to those surrounding him unless he
be bitten by a mosquito which in turn
stings other individuals. The un-
VENTILATED front parlOr or sleeping
room will never give its occupant
tuberculosis unless the germ of tub
erculosis is present in the room All
these facts have been worked out
Through the u1ceasing efforts OF mem
bers Of the medical profession for the
sake of humanity, for the conserva-
ton of the public health, regardless
of the dangers which Turk behind all
bacterial experimentation. Many a
young physician in the prime OF his
life has been taken away from. those
he loved and cherished, because of an
infection received during his labors;
vt when the medical profession ask
for financial support to carry on these
Investigations. they are turned down
land accused OF working the public
\ for, personal gains. 1t is de~plorable
to think that destructive organiza.
tons, patent medicine makers, and
so.called religious cults block the pro.
gressiye march, or at least hinder the
progress OF the medical men and
their influence and efforts to improve
the health Of the nation.
During the last session of congress
1Senator Owen, OF Oklahoma, intro
duced a bill commonly known as the
Owen Bill or Aenate Bill No. ], for
the establishment of a national Bur.
eau OF Public Health, a department
with headquarters at Washington and
with a cabinet officer at its head. This
bill has never been acted upon by the
committee. SO much weight has been
brought to bear by so.called public
spirited mel and organizations, call
ing us a medical trust, that a mem.
Der of the committee, on being asked
regarding the bill, replied, 1--WE can.
not possibly permit a comparatively
unimportant matter, such as to in
crease the authority Of the public
health officials, to take up our time
in the early months OF the session"
At present the health agencies Of
the nation are scattered among eight
departments as bureaus. The system
lacks in efficiency and coordination
and i cannot see any logical reason
why the treasury department, for in
stance, should be burdened with a
bureau of health, OF why a health
bureau should have to consult the
Icief of the treasury department. The
Secretary of the Treasury received
his appointment because he was an
expert on finance, and not because he
was an authority on public health;
but he is the chief Of the bureau on
public health.
The main organization through
whose efforts the owen Bill has been
side .tracke is the so.called League
tor Medical Freedom, an 0rganiza-
ton which was formed, few years