The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-12-07
- ~ THE PUBLIC HEALTH ~ ~
Address Delivered by Dr. Mallory Before the Joint Meeting
of the Civic Organizations Pensacola Dec 2

press to boil all water until the reser-
voir could be- emptied, thoroughly
cleaned and flushed
Now, here is the point I wish to
make-why should our city health Off
Ger have to do this? Why aren't those
levee thrown around the pumping sta
ton to protect it, and you from just
such conditions?
Let one of those families develop
typhoid fever; let them be careless in
the handling of the excreta from that
patient; let one of those gulley
washers come and carry with it mill
lions of typhoid germs and deposit
them in that reservoir and II YOU do
not get that warning to boil your wa
ter in time, you can expect one of the
worst epidemics of typhoid in the his
tory of the south. Now, this can be
prevented. Lets get busy and prevent
it.
The mere inspection of either water
or milk is not sufficient; neither is
the chemical examination of the milk
for the discovery Of preEervativeS and
adulterants sufficient, but both milk
and water should be submitted to q
ARCHAEOLOGICAL and microscopic ex-
animation. One of the most important
of all public health functions is the
control of communicable disease, which
by law must be reported to the board
Of health.
as a hardship; that is. when you are
guaranteed, but If Mr.. B. next door
who has smallpox was allowed TO run
at large, you would feel that the board
of health was delinquent, and should
take some action to keep this man
away from you, and your children. It
is a question of whose OK is gored.
Again, public sentiment is needed to
enforce the law in the interest of pub
lie health. Education of the masses
nj of n 10 n 10
eases and their prevention will help.
Tribute to the Newspapers.
Before leaving this subject, 1 wish
to pay tribute to a man in this city,
who has the courage of his convictions,
who is uninfluenced by what might
happen to his business if he gives
voice to what he honestly thinks, and
who by being willing to print the truth
about preVenta.ble diseases and the
truth about sex questions has called
forth the praise of physicians and
health workers all over the south One
physician wrote me yesterday con-
graduating the editor of The Journal
for having the backbone and nerve to
print articles which he had tried to
get printed In his home papers and
failed, because these papers were tied
up with quacl1 advertisers and it might
hurt their business. For me, a physi-
clan to write these articles which have
been appearing in the Sunday Journal
1OI SO1lle Time Is uOI11nS. AS d pGy-
stefan and chairman of your public
health commission, it is my duty to do
so, and deserve and desire no praise;
but, for Frank IL Mayes to be willing
to print them, not knowing how they
would be taken, only feeling that by SO
doing he might be of some assistance
in the fight for public health, shows
him to be made of the right stuff, and
the people of this community should
feel that they have n champion in the
field who can be relied upon to pub
lish the facts regardless of the effect
upon the advertising department.
Newspapers to a great extent mould
public opinion, and we are indeed for
tunate in having two first class dailies
which are willing TO do more than
their share to make Pensacola the
healthiest city in the Uniter States
Public sentiment when once aroused
will make it impossible for any officer
of the law to fail in the performance
of his duty. Until then, and not until
then. will our health laws be rigid1y
enforced.
There is much that can be said along
the lines of public health and much
that I would like to say. but If I had
succeeded in giving you a peep into
the large scope of this work, which is
so necessary to the upbuilding of any
city, will feel that I have accomplish
ed a great deal.