Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-04-18

To the Board of Aldermen and
Mayor: l submit the following in re-
sponse to the mayors request for
suggestions regarding the sanitation
of the city. 1t covers but small
part OF large field:
The time has come when large
part of the. sickness and death of the
civilized world can be prevented.
us the facts, the knowledge, b. which
to do this. 1t is for you and other
aldermen, for legislatures, for con-
gress, to put this knowledge to effect
i've use.
This prevention of sickness and
death is no irredescent dream of en-
thusiastic doctors. 1t has been prov
en- in many places. Perhaps the most
notable instance is that furnished by
the medical history OF the canal zone
Isthmus OF Panama. The isthmus
has always been known as veritable
death trap. All races suffered a
frightful mortality and few white men
could stay long and escape the grim
destroyer. This was the chief cause
of the failure OF the French to build
the canal.
When the U. S. took charge of the
work President Roosevelt appointed
a scientific physician, DR.. Gorgas, to
supreme control of all sanitary work
and backed him with money and au-
has a mortality rate that compares
favorably with that of any part Of the
civilized world. Last year it was less
than that of the average of the U. S.
Few places in the world can ever
show the improvement made on the
isthmus, for few have SO fearful a
condition to begin with. But, con-
servatively, one-third of the sickness
and death of the world is preventa-
BILE. One-half million people die un-
necessarily in our country each year;
fifteen to eighteen in our own town.
Fifteen unnecessary deaths means not
less than $50 prevntable cases of
sickness. II you wish to take pure
ly commercial view of the matter, es-
innate the cost of all this, and learn
the needless financial burden to the
community. Estimate also the pain
and suffering, the grief and anguish
that might be saved, and settle with
your conscience as to where your
duty lies.
The percentage of sickness and
death in our community will now
compare favorably with that of most
towns in the nation. There is room
for improvement everywhere; but we
with our favorable location, our un-
excellcd climate and excellent water,
ought to be among the very best OF
The needless deaths of the nation
are not to be blamed to the medical
fraternity nor to sanitary officers.
Give us the authority, the money to
work with, and we will repeat
the country the record OF
Gorgas on the isthmus.
/ am going to confine my sugges-
tions in this communication to meas
ures for the prevention of one dis
ease, typhoid fever, as that is an I'M
portant one here and everywhere
You all know that it is not long since
the amount of this fever in Rocky
Ford amounted to an epidemic. Five
years ago it cost the community. in
doctors and nurses and undertakes
bills, not less than S25,ooo. II each
cash value OF $1,000, and the time lost
by workers is counted, then the total
cost of this one disease through one
season amounted to more than SSo,-
600.
Three years ago there was an out
break in the spring. In all previous
experience for each one case in April
and May there were twenty or more
in July and August. We immediate.
ly started a thorough investigation OF
and campaign against the threatened
epidemic. The results justified our
action. Few more cases arose. By
June there was only one, and that
early in the month. There were none
in July and none in August. In Sep
tember, two weeks after the fair,
there was quite a formidable out
break on north Ninth and north Main
streets, close to the fair grounds. All
ter the suppression of this no more
arose till the following year, and then
but little.
That summer of 1910 was not the
first time that typhoid had followed
the fair. You should know that it is
not alone those who are actually sick
who spread typhoid fever. There
are cases that continue to discharge
in their feces germs of the disease
for weeks, months, and even for
years after apparent recovery. More
over there are types of the disease so
mild that the individual does not
know he is sick, but continues work
ing and visiting and distributing ba.
cilli as dangerous as though himself
seriously i'll. Now, among the ten OF
fifteen thousand visitors of fair week
are sure to be a score or more OF
these typhoid carriers. Fair week
comes in the season of greatest num-
ber of flies also. l need say no more
to show the menace of fair week, un-
less those privies on the ground are
more carefully disinfected and
screened than has been done.
Previous to 1911 the fair authori-
ties had simply sprinkled little lime
on the dejccta. following practice
that was formerly considered useful,
but which is now known to be useless
During the fair of 1911 by my advice