The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-12-12
HEALTH work Is
REAL INVESTMENT
Blue Declares Dollar Spent
For Sanitation is in Re-
atty a Loan.

New York. Dec. 12.--"Public health
3 q public utility, a dollar laid out
IN sanitation IL not an expenditure.
but a loan. which will no returned AZ
hundred fold. declared Surgeon Cen
eral Rupert Blue Of the United States
pv1lic health service here today in am
insurance Presidents.
ANY municipality. state or nation
can have public health IL it will hut
pay the price," continued the sur
Eeon general. THE most needed re-
forms In public health adlninistra-
9 are greater cooperation between
pubic of1cials. the employment of full
tlnae workers, establishment Of labor
statistics and the setting aside OF sui.
ncient. FUNDS to accomplish those
Depends on Citizens.
The future Of sanitary adrninistra-
Q III this country depends upon the
interest which the citizens take in its
development. There is no better in.
deS Of. the state Of civilization Of a
community than the manner in which
II Approaches its public health prob
lens. There is still much room for
reform in the sanitary administration
OF many states and municipalities in
Y country, and not the least inn
portant duty devolving upon the
health officials of this nation is the
education Of the general public to the
II that sanitary reforms will not
only be accepted but will also be ear.
nestly sought for.
our slow progress in the direction
OF q perfect national health is due
as yet fully realized it's Importance
and have not demanded that protec.
ton against preventablc disease which
they have a. right to expect from their
administrative officials. Neither have
they demanded legislation and appro-
priations which + essential to the
successful prosecution OF public health
the .paucity of sanitary legislation,
public Indifference and economic OPP
position.
Energy Soon Spent.
The feverish energy in sanitary
matters which claracterizes the gen
eral public in time of epidemic sooll
gives way to letllarsy. and indifference
to public health matters. The aver
age individual is willing to take a
chance OF contracting a disease when
it seems q lnns wa! off, and it. Is only
when it is close upon him and in spec
tacular form that he appreciates it's
danger. 4 single case of leprosy in
a city will create widespread excite,
nlent. while a thousand cases of
measles, which in their final results
are infinitely dangerous. are
permitted to occur without remark.
Results of the past decade Of
sanitary activity have been TO prove
that the prolonsation of life Is entire
". practicable. and this .prolongation
has been largely brought about by
Improvement in sanitary sdministra-
ton, The time is not long since passed
when the public health official who
boldly pointed out the needs for sani-
tary Improvement in THE factories, of
a wealthy corporation endangered his
position. To-day such criticisms are
gladly received and promptly acted
upon. Tho efficiency of human ma
clinery is quite as important as the
efficiency Of the other machinery of
the factories, and the realization of
this fact has resulted in LII extension
Of the powers and duties of the public
health authorities.
Cruelty of Bysone Days.
''Thc crudity Of method and appar-
atus Of bygone days Was only cqualled