Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-12
HEALTH is PUBLIC UTILITY
Money for Sanitation Not Expendi.
ture, but Loan.
SURGEON GENERAL REPORTS
Head OF Federal Health Service
Pleads for Active CO-operatioH
Between Local and Na-
tioaai Sanitary Boards.


loan. which will be returned an hum
eredfold," declared Surgeon General
Rupert Blue Of the United States public
health service here today in an address
before the Association Of Life Insurance
Presidents.
ANY municipality. state or nation can
have public health n II win but pay the
price" continued the surgeon general
The most needed reforms in public
health administration are greater CO.
operation between public officials. the
employment Of fun-time workers. estab-
lishmeut Of laboratories. accurate collec-
ton of vital statistics and the setting
aside Of sufficient funds to accomplish
those things.
The future OF sanitary administratlon
IN this country depends upon the interest
which the citizes take IN its development.
There is no better index OF the state OF
civilization Of a community than the
manner In which n approaches It's pub
lie health problems. There is still much
room for reform in the sanitary admin
istration of many states and nunfcipaii-
ties In our country, and not the least
important duty devoiving upon the
health officials Of this nation is the edu-
cation % the general public to he end
that sanitary reforms vili not only be
accepted. but win also be earnestly
sought for.
why Progress fs slow.
"Our slow progress in the direction Of
perfect ndslonai health is due 10 the
fact that the people have not AZ yet
fully realized ste importance ana have not
demanded that protection against pre-
ventable disease which they have a right
10 expect from their Administrative Off
cials. Neither have they demanded legis-
Iasion and appropriations whirh are es-
RENTAL 20 the successful prosecution Of
public health work. There ara two main
causes for, the paucity Of sanitary legis-
iation. public indifference and economic
opposition.
''The feverish .enerFy In sanitary mat
ters which eharaeterizes the general
public In time OF epidemic soon gives way
10 lethargy and indifference 10 public
health matters The average individual
Is willing 20 take a. chance OF contracting
a disease when Il seems a Iong way off.
and Il Il only when 4 is close upon him
and IN spectacular form that he appra
ciates its danger A single case of ieprosy
IN a city viii Greats widespread excite
ment. while Thousand cases OF measles.
which IA their final results are infinitely
more dangerous, are permitted 20 occur
without Semark.
Results of the past decade OF sanitary
activity have been TO prove that the pro-
longatlon OF life Is entirely practicable.
and this prolpngatlon has been largely
brought about by Improvement In sanitary
administration. The time IL not Ions
since passed when the public health Of.
fetal who bodily pointed out the needs for
sanitary improvement In the factories Of
a wealthy corporAtion enlangered hi,
position. Today. such criticisms are
gladly received ana promptly acted upon
rho efficiency OF human machinery ID
quite as important a. the efficiency Of
the other machinery Of the factories, and
the realisation OF this fact has resulted
In an extension Of the powers and duties
OF the public health authorities,
Co-operation e. Necessary.
'-rhe crudity OF method and apparatus
Of bygone days was only squalled by tn
administrative inefficlency Of that time
To cite cenorete examples. the battles q
Crtssy ana ,Aalncourt were won througl
the efforts % Individual commanders sup
ported BY free companies having but Z
faint relation 20 tn army as a whole
Tho greatest battle Of modern times
fought between the Japanese and Hus
slams AZ Mnxden, was. on the contrary
carried By the victorS only through tn
conceFted and iniegrating efforts OF (
vast fighting machine the various arm
Of witch occupied miles Of territory. ys
operated with deadly accuracy IN whicl
each ana every part OF the army dls
charged IL duties without endsavorinl
for Individual brilliancy and with tn
single aim OF intsrlockine efficiency with
cut losn of power or time.
"The sanitary machine Of this countrl
n = vast organization. reaching from en-
white House 10 the humbless cottage Il
the United States. The day has passes
when By individual brsiiiancy batti
agains disease foes may be won withoo
regard 10 the engagements which are SO
ms on an about us. We live IN an as
IN which efficiency is the slogan. w
have learnsd FROM oft-repeated failur
and sore disappointment that In sanitar,
work. a. IN eli the other efforts OF IN
human race. the greatest good can b
accomplished In the shortest space 0
time and with a minimum expenditnr
OF funds and labor by q concentrated
cooperative effort
''The most needed reform In the admin
sstration OF all the various parts OF IN
public health arm OF the nation is a
active and generous cooperation on
with the other The public health servio
cannot succeed In the fullest extent
Il ls not assisted BY the state and locs
health authoritieR The state department
OF health cannot discharge their dutis
with greatest profit without the help G
the county and municipal boards Z
health. and AL q them 70 succeed In th
broadest way must cooperate one wit
the other and al a. whole. =
Aeeurate Statistics Necessary.
The form which this oo-operatio
should take Is capable Of endless varia
ton and untold multiplicity, but the firs
and one Of the most important singl
factors is IN the collection OF Vital stl
flstics. The registration area for death
At present occupies only about tWo-thirc
of our country, An endeavor is bein
made 70 establish a registration area e
uiorbldity. and this 10 4 most needed n
form In puoiie health administration
afft l. a. sraaf aIaEV NJ fha uNF-laa