The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-03
COOPERATING WITH
THE WOMAN'S CLUB
The Ocala Board Of Health In Helping
to Make the City Healthy
and Happy

Madam President and Women OF the
Club: The Ocala Board of Health is
pleased TO again cooperate with the
woman's Club in its effort TO fore
stall disease and to deal with allied
ills.
The subject under discussion this
year is: Inspection; and is divided for
convenience into three parts or under
three heads:
One. Inspection of persons.
Two. Inspection Of things.
Three. Inspection Of places.
Persons are inspected for contagious
diseases and physical defects which
may render them incompetent These
are the main things in the examination
of the school children.
Places-dwellings, hospitals and
prisons as having a permanent popu--
lation. The board of health cannot
forget the commendable effort you
made three years ago in the way OF
house to house" inspection of prem
Uses. 1t was a move in the right direc-
tion.
Inspection of stores, shops and Of
fees as having persons living in them
from ten to twelve hours day.
This club has entered a wedge by
getting a consideration of a weekly
lhalf-holiday and other privileges for
clerks-an arrangement that meant
much to the girls and entailed no loss
either director indirect on the store
keepers.
Inspection of schools, theaters and
public buildings. Our present school
building is altogether inadequate and
| the club recognizing the fact has gone
m n
| by starting a fund looking toward the
construction of a building that will
compare at least favorably with our
| Jail pardon comparison.)
| Inspection of things. Under this
| head comes food, air and water. A
member of your club in company with
| a representative of the Marion County
Hospital and two members of the
board of health looked carefully over
the market and fruit stands and the
| failure to have bill passed in 1910
making it obligatory for fruit vendors
| to keep certain articles screened or
otherwise protected from dust, flies.
etc, was not your fault.
All food, especially meat, milk and
fruit should be so protected and kept
Under such conditions as to insure
purity. The recent appointment by
the city council Of an inspector gives
promise of something being done along
this line soon.
1t is worthy of note and commenda-
tion that the Ocala Heights Dairy (the
Camp dairy) which began operations
in 1911 is well nigh ideal-producing
high grade milk and cream for its GUS
toners. AS a proof of their sincerity
they invite inspection and examina-
ton.
The Pyles dairy also we'll deserves
honorable mention.
/ The inspection of our drinking wa
ter is a matter of utmost Importance
The franchise of the present water
company will expire in 1915 and it is
ito be hoped for the welfare of our city
that some radical changes will be-
made.
:. There are at least three sources OF
water supply that are available, viz
, lartesian well (the kind now used)
Silver Springs and the Oklawaha river
Samples OF these waters could be sent
to an expert chemist who might devise
chemical or other means of treating
them, rendering them palatable and
healthful.
The air we breathe should be safe.
guarded from smoke, foul gases and
, odors that are offensive and delerter.
lious to health.
The drainage question touches boil
air and water and either or both may
be seriously polluted IL sewage is i'm
properly disposed of. Our state board
of health is trying to secure a compe
tent civil engineer whose services cal
be had at a reasonable cost to super
, wise or give expert opinion on matter
, pertaining to water supply, drainage
ETC., in all Florida towns.
Louis Pasteur says that the para
site or germ disease will soon disap
pear from the world" His prophec,
. is coming true. In the horizon o
: health advance ii is daybreak every
where The victory over smallpox an,
a cholera is won in most countries. Ty
phoid is fast decreasing and tuber
culosis is on the wane. Let us imagin
o for a moment a land free from cholera
a yellow fever. leprosy and plague. Sucl
= a mental feat is easily possible be
cause those diseases do not prevail
, within reach of our observation. Tn
y fact that three out Of every thousan,
persons in India die yearly from plagu
is not distressing to US in America
G Let us, however, prefigure a land fire
from blood poisoning and tetanus
6 where there is no measles, scarle
o fever or whooping cough; where n
diphtheria, pneumonia or consumption
is found. Such a paradise on earth /
sure to come and in it children will b
born without a handicap of diseas
and will develop into normal, efficien
men and women. For health advanc
o to become effective, we need the activ
?, cooperation of every man, women an
, child in every community. Ignorance
: apathy and sometimes even hostilit,
> of the large mass of our fellow citizen
o are the main hinderances to health re
h form. Let me quote the words of a.
. eminent engineer: Sanitation mus
y cease to represent the rule of a super
ior caste, and must spring sponta
neously from the will of an educated
q enlightened people" Until that da
draws near we must continue to ad
h vocate the application of standard
: which shall regulate the degree. tn
quality and the quantity of health in
q tspection services.
: Respectfully submitted,
q E. Van Hood,
President City Board of Health.
: photography: c. B. Ball. health of
icer, Chicago, Florida Health Notes.
Report Of Physical Examination q