The Washington herald., 1912-05-02
NEWSOFALEXANDRIA
Miss Rose N. Macdonald Scores City
Council for LAxity in State
Health Laws.

| Alexandria, Va. May 1.-City Council
was tonight scored for its laxity re-
gardinE the enforcement OF the State
health laws in the absence Of city health
laws by Miss Rose NJ. Macdonald in her
annual report at the second annual
meeting Of the Anti-Tuberculosis Society.
held in the rooms OF the Chamber Of
Commerce.
The r>port where City Council comes
in for criticism reads In part as fol-
lows: During the past year this society
called the attention of Council to the
two acts OF the General Assembly for
1910, which treat Of tuberculosis. and for
the nonenforcement Of which there Is
penalty, but no action was taken by
Council nor have they, in the absence Of
local health laws. seen to It that the
State laws are being enforced here
Meat, fruit, and vegetables are still
exposed. where the fly, perhaps just from
the tubercular sputum, may alight. or
on which the dust from the street filed
with disease germs. may blow; still may
tubercuIar cattle be killed and sold in
our market, and still may houses, in
which are known TO lurk the germs OF
tuberculosis, be rented" she stated In
her report
Continuing. the report reads: 1T is not
an enviable record for the city fathers,
at least il makes one think they are not
good economists. or at any rate that
they do not believe that the wealth of
a nation is its health no. they have
business to attend to- and protecting
the health of the citizens lis not good
business"
In conclusion the report reads: How
ever, we may be nearer TO the light than
we think, therefore. let US go forword in
the coming year with a greater realiza-
tion OF the responsibility OF our work
and with the desire to bring it into full
est development and power"
A complete resume Of the history OF
the association since its inception, to-
gether with a review of the work accom-
plished were contained in the report.
1t is also stated in the report that
Representative Carlin offered to equip and
pay the salary OF a visiting nurse for
the city for a period OF one year II the
society would agree to continue the
work. and this was done. Continuing the
report says: Another evil but one much
more easily remedied: is the lack of
health laws in Alexandria.
1T Is now generally acknowledged that
the maintenance of public health is of
much greater economic Importance than
past considered the highest work OF the
doctor, to be the diagnosis and cure of
disease. but in this cure of preventative
methods we are beginning to believe that
that highest value OF their work is the
penvention OF disease. The reason is
obvious, cure is uncertain and can be
effected in only a percentage OF cases: |
and In every case cured there is a loss
Of time and energy which mean an eco |
nomical loss to the community as well |
as the Individual
har t. lr-
recently that business begun to realize |
that the health and welfare of the man !
had distinct bearing upon his value |
to his employer, regarding the man |
simply as a machine: and also that the |
sanitary conditions OF the shop and home |
effect the efficiency Of the workman and l
his value to his employer.
Typhoid, consumption, &c. are no /
longer regarded as Inevitable and un-
preventable: hygiene can prevent these \
and many other diseases as well (to a /
large extent as insanity. feeble-minded-
ness, and crime. How much better, |
therefore, to guard against disease. and |
thus help to conserve the economical \
efficiency Of a community. But without /
proper health laws this is impossible"
A conference was held to-day at Fair
fax Court House between the members /
Of the board OF supervisors and COM
mlttee Of members OF the Chamber OF
Commerce In the interest OF the proposed
highway from Quebec to Miami. The ques-
ton of the erection Of that part between
Fairfax Court House and Alexandria was
discussed by the members present. Those
present from the Chamber OF Commerce
Included the following: c. S. T. Burke, .
J. w. Roberts. DR.. z. A. German, NJ. L.
King. and j. r. Preston. the latter sec
retary of the Chamber OF Commerce. The
was regarded as very satis-
factory.
Judge L C. Barley. Of the Corporation
Court, has up to the present time issued
'orty-nine liquor licenses. The license Of
George w. Beard, who conducts an estab-
ishment on the west side OF Fairfax
Street. between Princess and oronoco
Streets, has been refused. Three appli-
cations are being held pending further