The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-12-11
MAKES STRONG PLEA
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
Dollar Spent in Sanitation Returns
One Hundred Fold

4
public health service here today ia "a
address before the Association If Lie
Insurance Presidents
Any municipality. state or nation
can have public health if it will hul
pay the price, continued the surgeon
seneraL The most needed reforms m
public health administration are great.
er cooperation between public OH
cialsl the employment of fun time
workers, establishment of laborator-
les, accurate collection of vital stats
, ties and the setting aside of sufficient
! FUNDS TO accomplish those things.
Citizens Must Show Interest.
The future of sanitary adminstra-
/ ton in this country depends upon the
/ interest which the citizens take i'm its
| development There is no better in
/ deN of the state OF Cilivilation of "a
/ community ,hau the manner i'm which
it approaches its public health prob
| lens. There is still much room for
| reform in the sanitary administration
of many states and municipalities in
our country and not the least import
ant duty devoNing upon the health Of
iircrs at this nation is the education of
the general public To the end that
sanitary reforms will not only be &C.
copied. but viii also be earnestly
sought for
our slow progress i'm the direction
of a perfect national health is due to
the fact that the people have not as
Yet fully realized its Importance and
have not demanded that protection
against preventable disease which they
have right to expect from their ad-
ministratNc officials. Neither have
they demanded legislation and appro-
prlations which are essential 10 the
success prosecution of public health
work There are two main causes for
the pauciy of sanitary legislation,
public Indifference and economic OPP
position.
Sanitation Prolongs Life.
The fevcrlsh energy i'm sanitary
matters which characterizes the gen
oral public in time of epidemic soon
gives way To- lethargy and Indifference
w f''iAN ii'"'NII lilflAN'lSs Ilt average
individual is willing to take a chance
Of contracting a disease when it seems
a long way OF. ana it is only when
II Is close upon him ana i'm spectacular
form that he appreciates it's danger
y single case of leprosy in city will
create widespread excitement, while
"a thousand cases of measles. which
i'm their final results, ale infinitely
more dangerous. are permitted To oc-
cur without remark.
Results Of the past decade of SAN
itaIy activity have been to prove that
the prolongation of life is entirely
practicable, and this prolongation has
been largely brought about by inn
provemcnt i'm sanitary admiustra-
ton. The time is not long since pass
ed when the public health official who
boldly pointed out the needs for SAN
itary Improvement i'm the factories Of
wealthy corporation endangered his
position. Today, such criticisms are
gladly received and promptly acted
upon The efficiency of human ma
Chiucry is quite as important as the
efficiency of the other machinery of
the factories and the realization Of
this fact has resulted in an extension
If the powers and duties of the pub
lie health authorities
Crude Methods Are Passed.
The cIudity of method and appdr-
utus of bygonc days was only cquallcd
by the administrative incfficicncy Of
that time 70 cite concrete examples,
the battles Of Crcssy and Agncourt
we're won through the efforts OF indi-
yidual commanders supported by free
companies having but Il faint relation
to the army as a whole. The greatest
battle of modern times. fought be-
tween the Japanese and Russians at
Mukden, was. on the contrary, car
ried by the victors only through the
concerted and migrating efforts of d
vast fighting machine, the various
arms of which occupied miles of ter
ritory, yet operated with a deadly ac-
curacy in which each and every part
# the army discharged its duties
without cudCayuring for individual
brillaucy and with tho single aim OF
intcrluckins efficiency without loss OF
power or time
"'rhc sanitary machine of this couu-
ny is ~ vast organization. reaching
from the white house to the humblcst
cottage in the United States. The day
has passed when by individual bril-
liancy battle against disease foes
may be won without regard to the en-
gagements which are going on all
about us We live in an age i'm which
efficiency is the slogan We have.
learned from oft-rcpcatcd failure and
sore disappointment that in sanitary
work as in atl the other efforts of tho
human race, Tho greatest good can be-
accomplished iu the shortest space Of
time aud with q minimum expenditure
of funds ana labor 10y Il concentrated
Operative effort.
Local Authorities Must Assist
The most needed reform In the
administration Of all of the various
parts ot the public health arm of the
nation is AN active and generous CO.
operation one with the other The
public health service cannot succeed
iu The fullest extent If II is not assist