The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-07
WOOlD ESTABLISH
HEALTH STATIONS
INSURANCE MAN POINTS OUT
HOW RICHMOND COULD SAVE
MANY LIVES.
REDUCE DEATH RATE
ADVOCATES FREE ExAMINA-
TONS AND DIAGNOSIS FOR
THOSE WHO DESIRING TT.
PREVENT DISEASE FIRST.
DEATH RATE


Richmond should spend at least
twice what 1t does now to save hui
man misery and life waste. 1t should
enlarge the scope and the machinery
OF its health service. 1t should be
the first city to establish lifesaving
stations or public health stations Just
as 1t does police and fire protection
as IT does police and fire stations
and schools and churches. to guard
property and promote human hap
piness."
Such Ia the opinion of Elmer r.
Rittenhouse, conservation scommis-
stoner OF the Equitable Life Assur-
ance Society. who has been spending
a few days In Richmond.
From these substations," said Mr..
Rittenhouse yesterday. the officials
could do a splendid educational work
along preventative lines. The city
could give much closer and more ef-
fectfve supervision from these sta
tons TO its sanitary and pure food
work. IT could give free health ex.
animal lions and diagnosis to those
VINO ask 1t, and through It's staff OF
inspectors, male and female. 1t could
spread the gospel OF sanitation and
or home and personal hygiene. There
Is no end TO the good work such a
system could do.
"t 'ti tdlHIN SHbbtU 90 hbU1et0fnZ
to check the appalling life waste now
going on throughout the country.
and this would be good place to
start it.
Loses Millions Annually,
AT the low estimate of 81 ,010 as
the productive value OF q human
life. Richmond loses over $1,000
every year not to mention the cost
or tho illness preceding these need
less Deaths nor the suffering. misery
and poverty involved.
The decline in the death rate from
tuberculosis is very largely due to
the education OF the individual how
to care for himself and to avoid
spreading the germs. In this the
tho health authorities have done their
share. but this viii not stop the rnis-
cry and waste of life from this source,
Education IL one means and It must
be kept up. but official supervision.
and isolation IL necessary. Is another
and more important method. Both
are sadly needed
There Is another thing we Amer
leans are overlooking. The death rate
from the non communicable degenera-
tive diseases Of the most common
class has steadily increase This
Is especially true of diseases Of the
heart. blood vessels uncluding apo
PISASJ. anu hiHHeyS. InlS Ia why the
death rate above has Increased
Many Are Prevsntable.
These deaths are easily so per
cent. preventahle or postponable If the
disease Is detected and taken in
time. But the trouble IS that but
very few people know they have them
until they are too deeply seated to be
checked or cured. This il the fault
OF the individual, but the city can
hafn n "a hs, inH
to prevent this waste OF life. The
first thing of Importance liz to detect
the disease In its incipiency. This
could be done If everybody would
make II a rule to 20 to their doctor
for a health examination at reason
able intervais-say twice q year"
Mr.. Rittenhouse's company estab-
lished its conservation department
only few months ago. During that
period. he has covered much terri
tory preaching the doctrine OF life
saving. He leaves today for Atlanta.