The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-06-20
STATE MEDICAL AS
ISOLATION
Continued from page ~

Continued from page H.
buttons we can point with pride to
/ victories achieved, all of which have
prolonged life and benefited mankind
Z generally. In order rightly to COM
prehend the present, and intelligent
( ly anticipate the future of State medi-
/ cine it is necessary to briefly review
the past and thus learn of the evo-
luton of public health matters gen
orally.
From the earliest times the maiI-
! tenanCe Of health has ever been the
subject of mans care. Indeed, we
may go further and say that in the
| Mosaic code there is evidence of the
| fact that man believed 1t to be the
wish of Almighty God that he should
preserve his body in health, for in
! that law are given minute directions
for the cleanliness of the person, the
purifying of the houses, the exclusion
of those suffering from contagious dis
/ eases, and the care to be exercised in
| the selection of food. These and
many other health questions were
made a matter of religion, and are
considered as such by the Orthodox
Jew of today. Subsequently the
Greeks and Romans with view to
the improvement of their bodily con-
| ditions devoted themselves to physi-
cal culture. The Romans under
stood better than we in this continent
today the necessity of pure water sup
plies for their cities and the value
| of. sewers, and the proper disposal of
sewerage. Indeed, the Roman states
man were the first to appoint district
officers of health, assigning them ac-
cording to population and charging
! them with duties which were chiefly
those of public health. With the adj
vent of so-called Christianity the
Rabbinical laws were ignored as was
! the injunction of st. Paul know
we not that We are the temples of the
Holy, Ghost?" and we find the Monks
and Friers devoting themselves to
acts Of mercy and charity, by insti-
tuting hospitals for the care of the
sick, but failing to impress upon the
people the necessity for the proper
care of the person and the observance
of even the most rudimentary OF
health laws whereby their environ
ment could be bettered.
The opportunities for study and re.
search were many, but the methods
whereby opinions were formed and
conclusions reached were along lines
the most difficult, and 1t was not un.
til the chemist pasteur led the way
into the real of microscopic plant life
and the surgeon worked on the in.
tricacies Of how to destroy these mi
mute and unseen enemies Of mankind
| that the greatest progress was made
in the realm of hygiene. 1t will
certainly be acknowledged that con
sidering the great Importance of the
subject of public health covering as
it does the individual and his environ
ment. the world has moved slowly
though progressively forward during
the last half century and notwith
standing the progress made we find
evidence of the inefficiency Of the laws
to meet the requirements especially
among our own race, and therefore
no escape from the conclusion that
the proportion of lads and youths
physically unfit is alarming and il
this be true Of the lads, Is there any
ground for hoping that the physical
condition of their sisters IS better
They are exposed to exactly the same
injurious conditions, often in an ag
gravated form, and there can be nc
doubt that their physical develop
ment suffers to at least an equal ex-
tent We need women to be healthy
mothers of robust children, and If we
as Negro physicians would shoulder
the responsibility OF stirring our race
to greatness, and If we would main
tain the least the least hope for the
final accomplishment of our race we
must keep constantly in mind thai
the health of our people is the great
est of all subjects to be considered
and worked out. How are we to full
fill the task that Providence has lait
upon our shoulders-a great tasl
than has ever been imposed upon any
] nation, task that we are now full
filing not without success but thu
greatness of which may fill even thu
boldest of us with some anxiety.
, The part to be played by each mem
Der Of this association is not an un
/ important one. 1t must be our con
slant aim to educate public opinion
/ to foster the spread Of hygiene knowl
edge to the boys and girls, as it il
through them that national and i'm
pcrial success will come, and We car
p content ourselves that there is mol
greater and more far-reaching worl
} than adding to the sum of human
! happiness and the comfort OF man
kind.
> wish just here to congratulate yoV
, for the spirit Of patriotism tina
prompted you to leave your homes
! your families, your business, you
/ practice. It is to my mind a sign o
! better times and more glorious FL
. ture May each and every one o
I you put forth every earnest, sacrihC
r ing, unselfsh effort to add whateve
Z may be in his power to this meeting
and taLa yotnethinp Of wisdom tina