The Washington herald., 1913-01-19
"Ounce of Prevention Worth Pound of Cure
They Say-Body Like Machine, and Strict
Attention Should Be Given to Epery Coz.
tCoutrbut-d By the Medical socety Of the DiSsrtc
u Column

Contributed By the Medical So1ety Of the District
q ColrImba.l
The old adage "a stitch in time saves
nine," is to nothing more applicable
| than to modern surgery. To get the best
results. the public must learn to take
time by the forelook'' in surgical matters
and thus prevent many tragic Ills to
which the human flesh Is heir.
Much space is being devoted by the
press to-day in calling attention TO
hygiene. sanitation and other health
measures. As result OF this publicity,
every average man knows of the impor-
tance Of good drinking water. a proper
milk supply. adequate plumbing, quaran-
tine measures and vaccination. All of
these things are designed TO aid in the
prevention of disease. to prolong life and
to add to the comfort and happiness of
man. While the necessity for these
things is so well known and so generally
recognized. II is not so well known that
by proper surgical measures at the right
time, perhaps as great good may be ac-
complished as by the measures above
mentioned. II is for this reason that We
call your attention to the great necessity
for preventive surgery.
Preventive surgery, like preventive
medicine, has for its aim the prevention
OF disease. 1t proposes TO do this by
removing the cause of disease. To cure
disease is great boon, but to prevent
il is a greater and more easily done.
Disease, though eventually cured. brings
pains, anxiety, loss OF time, loss Of
money and much Inconvenience. To pre-
vent disease. does away in great measure
with these undesirable things.
Body Like Machine.
The human body is a complex machine
1t consists Of many different cells. tissues
and organs, each performing its special
work. but all working together, in health
with a beautiful harmony and balance
as designed by the infinite mind of God
1t is a well-known fact that when this
harmony is disturbed, the machine can
not do its work properly, and the man
is sick. Just as some little damage to a
very small part of a great mechanical
device will destroy its usefulness, until
it is repaired. even to some trouble, ap-
parently In itself insignificant, with a
part, or parts of the human machine
will render 1t unfit to perform the work
for which it was designed. II this Is
left unrepaired, 1t often leads to greater
troubles, causing much needless suffer-
ing. expense. and many deaths.
1t in just this repair or cure of troubles
or diseases, in the beginning purely local.
but left untreated, leading to more
severe, general, and fatal diseases that
preventive surgery sets itself to do. This
is a great task, and before 1t can be sue
cessfully accomplished. the public must
be made to recognize its usefulness just
as 1t recognizes the usefulness of public
health measures belonging to the field or
preventive medicine.
Obstacles to BE Met.
There are several great obstacles that
prevent the general recognition of the
advantages of preventive surgical meth
DDS. These are ignorance of the average
man as to the wonderful strides modern
surgery has made in the last few years,
prejudice on the part of some people,
rapidly growing fewer, against all sur
gical measures, and the old-fashioned
unreasonable attitude of some doctors
who look upon surgery, In any case