Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-05
CARE OF H|SHEA[TH
Chief DUTY OF MAN
If Not Personally Fit to Meet
Disease, Fight Is
Necessary.
ENEMIES LYING IN WAIT
IN THE SAFEST SHELTERS
Advice Given by Surgeon j. M.
Eager of United States Public
Health Service.
BY SURGEON J. VI. EAGER.

BY SURGEON j. VI. EAGER.
Are you personally fit for the fight
prepared for the hand to-hand en-
counter with disease that you are sure
TO be forced into sooner or later or In
which perhaps you are already en-
gagged Unless you are willing to sue
cumb without a struggle, fight you
must. no matter how feeble your fght-
ing proclivities are or what may be
your views on pacification. If uni
versal peace among mankind is ever
established there will still be war, war
against disease. the war that has al
ways been going on.
Peace between nations may not be an
unattainable hope. But man is by no
means the worst enemy of man. When
the much-desired era of human con-
cord comes and armed strife among
men has ceased there will still he an
everlasting battle to fight. ceaseless
struggle for few years more of
health and life. a desperate CON
hlct against a foe who, as far as
victory over the individual fighter is
concerned. is certain in the end to win
the battle against disease.
s, The cauSative agents or disease
harmful physical forces, poisonous
chemical substances. noxious living or
ganisms. disturbances of functions, the
mysterious cause of senile decay, that
never-failing death dealer-are the
subtlest OF foes, adversaries compared
with which the most astute ard i'm
placable human enemy is bland and
easily appeased. They are lurking enc
mics lying in wait in our safest shell
ters; often advancing to the deadliest
engagement without notice; creeping
into our strongholds with the materials
of construction or entering with our
most indispensable supplies; employing
poignantly painful poisons. ruthlessly
regardless of helpless childhood. ven
cradle age. beauty. talent or worth; I'M
relentingly bound to reattack when
repulsed and always victorious In the
end. So disguised are they that they
often pass unrecogniZed. though they
wound us in our vitals and fill the earth
with our bones. Some we know
chiefly the disease germs-and that
gives us hope, with even a hint of Ill
innate triumph We know that the
activities of the disease germ. no
matter what shape it takes. are sub
1ect to natural laws and we feel that
with, the aid of science in the war
fare we may penetrate it's strategies.
outnank its maneuvers, destroy some at
least of the marauders. and so. repell-
ing the vanquisher. gain in the midst
OF war a period of peace in which to
hive in the beautiful world which is
our battlefield and enjoy the champion
snip or our fellows who with us are ex-
posed to the chances of a cruel war.
Two Things Necessary.
In the defense against disease two
tf11ngs are necessary-a systematic union
- fighters. the sanitary organ zation. and
pe.onal preparedness. the product of in
Sellfgent and diffsent personal hygiene
There is growing appreciation of the
Importance of public sanitation, of MAIN
tanning the efficiency of. the standing
army of health. The necessity Is admit
ted OF protecting seapOrts and frontiers
from disease invasion. methodically scru-
tiniZing the water and food supply. polio
Ing houses and public places. establish
Ing cordons to prevent dangerous COM
muHication with the camping grounds Of
disease, posting sanitary sentinels about
the territory from which sortie Is
feared sanitary reconnaissance and ex-
terminating wherever found an enemy
that gives no quarter.
Wonderful victories in combating in
fictitious nIa1adies have somewhat di-
verted popular attention from the equally
important personal fertilization against
disease Of all kinds In sounding the bat
preparedness should ring out. The self
made equipment Of the private soldier of
health should be kept in the best iuster.
Many think of hygiene more a rem
edg than as a preventive. They use it
as a~weapon rather than as a shield Not
a thought is given to 1t until warning by
a skirmish with the enemy. Lucky If the
encounter does not become fight that
leaves open wounds and painful scars or
perhaps another corpse on the field of
battle
OF the highest public Importance in the
organized war against disease is the per-
sonai endeavor of each individual TO keep
well IL in good health. or when i'll to pre-
serve and increase the residue of health.
Most people want to be well. But it is not
such an easy thing after all. Like getting
rich or staying rich, 1t requires study
and diligence unless one is extraordinarily
lucky or is endowed with exceptional nat
ural talents for avoiding unhealthful
things. No man, as a member OF society,
is morally free TO live unhygienically or
TO acquire disease through lack OF per-
sonal care. Like sloveniy soldier, he
risks inparting TO others his loose NOR
ale. or even transmitting disease to the
whole personnel.