Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-07-10
(copyrisht. 1914. by A. 8. Gray)
RRIGHT's DISEASE.

other diseases of the kidneys.
Had railroad wreck or Titanic
disaster killed one-hundredth this num-
ber the world would gasp in horror
and the newspapers OF the country
would be taxed to Issue special
editions in sufficient number to meet
the subject. and senatorial or con-
grsssional committees would be ap-
pointed to investigate the cause and
formulate laws for the prevention of
like disasters in the future.
But because we are used to 1t and
because they are snuffed out only a
few at q time we ignore this appalling
sacrifice OF 100000 human lives and
take IL as q matter of course. And
the absurdity Of this position is the
more startling when we know that
10000 could be prevented or at least
postponed for many years with greater
ease and certainty than Titanic dis
aster can be prevented.
Our stupidity becomes still more
amazing in the face of the fact that
deaths from these diseases are stead
lily increasing at an enormous rate. In
the vital statistics registration area.
now covering approximately 60 per
oent of 'our population. deaths from
kidney diseases have increased 72 per
cant in 20 years and 20 per cent in
last ten years. In the city of Chicago
the increase has been At per cent in
the last ten years.
Bright's and the allied diseases are
clearly diseases of civilization; they
advance together. They are the dis
eases Of highly seasoned food. or drink,
of indolent habits of body and mind.
and of mental STRAIN" commonly
called worry.
The 1910 census gave the United
States a population increase Of 81 per
cent in the ten-year period between
1900 and 1910 and showed the rural
population to number "a per cent and
the urban population 46 per cent of
the whole.
within this ten-year period the rural
population increased only IL per cent
while the urban population increased
"a per cent and this very material
change In the ratio between the pro-
ducers and the consumers of the neces-
stiles OF life must become a powerful
factor In the health of our people for
two reasons; first, because Of the
change in proximity to food supplies.
LESS fresh food is being consumed by
the increasing numbers flowing into
our cities, and 1t is self evident fact
that the longer food is held the greater
is the danger of contamination. Sec
oud, the increase In the ratio Of con-
sumer to producer of the necessities of
life means perfectly logical increase
in the cost of the production, hence an
inevitable Increase in the cost of liv-
ing and the worries incident thereto.
The subject of the preservation and
transportation Of food is of vast i'm
portance and is now receiving the at
tention of the federal and state au-
thorities, but 1t Is a subject on which
the Individual citizen must seek en-
lightenment II we are to make any
progress towards happier humanity.
We are fairly well informed through
the daily press as to the dangers of
chemical preservatives in foods, and
because Of these dangers cold is de-
pended on to keep foods in fit condi-
ton in the average home. Cold does
not kill bacteria. but 1t does inhibit
or check their rapid growth. and in
this fact we find the need Of and the
reason for public ice fund subscrip-
lions in the battle against disease
among the poor In our cities. But 1t
must be carefully noted, however. that
ice can be, at best, but little superior
in purity to the water from which 1t
is made, and therefore ice is itself a
factor OF enormous Importance in the
development and spread of disease.
As increasing intelligence opens our
minds to a comprehension of the
cause underlying Ill health. particu-
larly of the gastric disturbances of
childhood. we learn that most of our
Ills are due either to insufficient or
badly prepared and unclean food
rather than to any excess in food
values or quantity.
The very prevalent summer COM
plants" and other digestive troubles
OF childhood and of humanity in gen.
,~9ui are traceabie directly to a COM
mon cause-filth. High infant NOR
tality goes hand in hard with filth
Food may be easily contaminated by
washing dishes and other containers
with polluted water, and fresh vege-
tables, such as are eaten raw. are open
to the same danger frcm the use of
impure water on them. Dirty hands
and the general ignorant indifference
of those handling and preparing food
materials: partly decomposed fruit,
vegetables and meat; flies on the but
ter, on the bread and In the milk. di.
rect from the stable or gutter; dust
from tha street comnoaed of finaix