Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-08
Department Recommends
Campaign Of Education.
; DISEASE PREVENTIVE
No Distinction Should Be Made Be.
tween Ailments.
MILK INSPECTION EFFECTIVE
No Decrease in Number Of Dairymen
Doing Business Because
Of Supervision.

Recommending a campaign Of edu.
cation by the federal government look
ing toward the prevention of diseases
depending upon the heredity and per-
sonal habits of individuals. the annual
report of the District health depart
ment Tor the fiscal year ended June
80 last was made public today.
Inc report asserts that 1t 10 unfor-
'unate that any distinction between
preventaole and sup. sedly non-pre-
schtaole diseases ever should have
peen drawn and declares that steps
should be taken without delay to cor.
rect this state of affairs.
Some diseases ere certainly more
eas..y prevented than others" states the
report. and with respect to some the
metnods OF prevention arc not vet under.
stood. but probably all diseases are to a
certain extent preventable
Control by Education.
The only means for controlling such
maiadies Is through education From the
STANDPOINT OF the health and efficiency OF
the nation, as well as from the standpofn,
or the health and efficiency of the fndi.
Vloua', 1t Is just as unfortunate and the
ioss Is just as great whether one is dis
a'oled or dies AZ the result OF a SUD.
posedly non-preventable disease az from
Asiatic cholera. and 1t il manifestly lust
as much within the province OF the gov
eminent to spend money for the preven-
ton of the former as for the prevention
Of the latter"
The work of the department In the in
spection Of dairy farms during the year is
elaborated in the report. The supervision
that Is being maintained over the quality
OF milk sold I'm the District, II is stated,
has not tended to drive dairymen out of
business.
There was net gain during the year
In the number of farms producing milk
and cream for sale in the District OF
thirty-nine, and In the number Of cattle
on such farms there was a gain Of .O83
1t Is gratifying to note the increase in
the number Of cattle tuberculin tested
with the diffusion of more accurate
knowledge OF the tuberculin test among
owners Of cattle, the number tested viii
increase from year to year.
Referring to the work done in the
sanitary inspection service, the report
states that during the year 17.473
taken to abate all such conditions. it
is declared.
Keep Dogs Home at Night.
Legislation forbiddins all dogs from
running at large after twilight and until
daylight is recommended In the report
Such a law would be effective" 1t is
stated. because 1t would enable the
poundmen to impound any dog found
at large after dark. whether muzzled
or not.
1T would work no hardship, since a
dog. il kept as watchdog, sff6uld be on
his masters premises after dark, and, il
kept as pet, should be kept at home
for his own protection. The proposed
law would not interfere with those who
desire to take their dogs out for exercise
after dark. since such persons could
readily do so by keeping their dogs on
leash"
Referring to desired changes in the or
ganization of the health department. the
report says. in part:
An effort has been made to correlate
the cost Of the department to the proxi-
mate results Of its work. The ultimate
results of such work-the sickness and in
efficiency prevented. the lives prolonged
and possibly saved and the sum added to
human happiness-may some day be
taken account of. and some statistician
may undertake to determine whether
each dollar spent has yielded the largest
possible return.
But. for the present, the Department
would be satisfied IL it could determine
with reasonable accuracy the amount
properly chargeable as the cost Of
each item OF actual work. each case OF
scarlet fever reported. each death reg
istered. each complaint lied, each in
spectfon made. and SO on.
And II 1t could fix with mathemati-
cal certainty the amount Of work that
should be required daily of each en-
stead of having to estimate the suf-
ficiency of the service largely by COM
putting the number Of hours served, as
1t must be at present q substantial
advance would have been made in the
administration Of the
health denartment"