Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-12-20
PUBLIC HEALTH IS
PUBLIC VEAL TIL

= ~NtiNA 1911 Shh III 2dBftdAlOH WIZ
be Returned Hundred Fold-Peo.
pie Have Not Yet Realized its I'M
pharmaceutical and Be Convinced.
Then Act Accordingly
Public health is public utility.
4 dollar laid out in sanitation is not
an expenditure, but loan. which will
be returned an hundred fold" de.
clared Surgeon General Rupert Blue
Of the United States Public Health
Service in an address before the A..
ISOLATION Of Life Insurance Presi.
dents, at New York, Thursday.
Pay The Price.
ANY municipality, state or M.
tion can have public health if it will
but pay the price" continued the
surgeon-General THE most needed
reforms in public health administra.
ton are greater cooperation between
public officials, the employment or
full.time workers, e Enlistment or
laboratories, accurate collection of
vital statistics and the setting aside
of sufficient funds to accomplish
those things
"The future of sanitary adminstra.
ton in this country depends upon
the interest which the citizens
take in its development. There Is
no better index Of the state of civ
ilization of a community than the
manner in which it approaches its
public health problems. There Is
still much room for reform in the
sanitary administration of many
states and the municipalities in our
country, and not the least important
duty deyolying upon the health Of
ficials of this Nation is the education
of the general public to the end that
ranitary reforms win not only be ac-
cepted but will also be earnestly
sought for.
Our slow progress in the direction
Of perfect national health is due
TO the fact that the people have not
as yet fully realized its importance
and have not demanded that protec.
tien against preventable disease
which they have a right to expect
from their administrative officials.
Neither have they demanded legis.
lation and appropriations which are
initial to the successful proseeu-
ton of public health work There
are two main causes for the paucity
Of sanitary legislation. public indif.
ference and economic opposition.
Gives Way TO Letharey
THE feverish energy in sanitary
matters which characterizes the
general public in time of epidemic
soon gives way to lethargy and i1dif-
ference to public health matters. The
average Individual is willing to take
a chance cf contracting a disease
when it seems a long way off, and
i is only when it comes close upon
him and in a spectacular form that
he appreciates its danger A single
case Of leprosy in city will create
widespread excitement, while in their
final results other diseases infinitely
more dangerous are permitted to oe.
cur without remark.
Results of the past decade of san
itary activity have been proven that
the prolongation of life is entirely
practicable, and this prolongation
has been largely brought about by
improvement in sanitary administra-
ton. The time IS not long since pass
ed when the public health official
who boldly pointed cut the needs for
sanitary Improvement in the factor
les Of ia wealthy corporation endan-
gered his position. Today, such crit
icisms are gladly received and
promptly acted upon The efficiency
Of human machinery is quite as i'm
portant as the efficiency Of the other
machinery Of the factories, and the
realization Of this fact has resulted
in an extension of the health authori-
ties.
THE Sanitary machine Of this
country is vast organization
reaching from the White House to
the humblest cottage in the United
States The day has passed when by
Individual brillianey battle against
disease foes may be won without re,
gard to engagements which are
going on all about US We live in
an age in which efficiency is the slo.
gan We have learned from oft-re.
peated failure and sore disappo'nt-
ment that in sanitary work as in all
the other efforts of the human race.
the greatest good can be accomplish