The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-29


Madam President and Women of the
Club: The ocala Board Of Health is
pleased to again cooperate with the.
woman's Club in it's 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 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.
PIaces-dwellings hospitals and
prisons as having permanent popu-
lation. The board of health cannot
forget the commendable effort you
made three years ago in the way of a
"house to house inspection of prem
ises. 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 a day
This club has entered wedge by
getting consideration Of a weekly
haIf-holiday and other privileges for
clerks-an arrangement that meant
much to the girls and entailed no loss
either direct or 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
eourageously to work to remedy this
by starting 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 II obligatory for fruit venders
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 we'll nigh fdeal-producing
high grade milk and cream for its Gus
toners. AS a proof of their sincerity,
they invite inspection and examlna-
tion.
The Pyles dairy also well 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
to 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:
artesian 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 paiatable and
healthful.
The air we breathe should be safe
guarded from smoke, foul gases and
odors that are. offensive and delerter-
ious to health.
The drainage question touches both
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 can
be had at a reasonable cost to super
wise or give expert opinion on matters
pertaining to water supply, drainage,
etc, In all Florida towns.
rsom 81,
sitic or germ disease will soon disap-
pear from the world His prophecy
Is coming true. In the horizon of
health advance 1t Is daybreak every
where. The victory over smallpox and
cholera is won in most countries. Ty-
phoid Is fast decreasing and tuber-
eulosis Is on the wane. Let us imagine
for moment a land free from cholera.
yellow fever. leprosy and plague. Such
a mental feat is easily possible be-
cause those diseases do not prevail
within reach of our observation. The
fact that three cut of every thousand
persons in India die yearly from plague
IL not distressing to us in America.
Lot us, however, prefgure a land free
from blood poisoning and tetanus;
where there is no measles, scarlet
fever orr whooping cough: where no
diphthfria. pneumonia or consumption
is found. Such a paradise on earth is
sure to come and in ii children will be
horn without a handicap of disease
and will develop into normal. efficient
men and women. For health-advance
10 become effective. we need the active
cooperation of every man, women and
child In every community. Ignorance,
apathy and sometimes even hostility
OF the large mass OF our fellow citizens
are the main hinderances TO health re-
form, Let me quote the words OF an
eminent engineer: sanitation must
cease to represent the rule of a super
ior caste. and must spring sponta-
neoEsly from the viii of an educated
enlightened people" Until that day
draws near we must continue to ad-
vocate the application Of standards
which shall regulate the degree. the
quality and the quantity OF health in
spection services.
Respectfully submitted,
T.. Van Hood,
President City Board OF Health.
photography: C. B. Ball, health Of