The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-03
Hogs VS.. Humans

Estate Board of Health Bulletin.)
Which is worth more, hog o. a
human?
There's a reason for the question
in Florida, because by enacted law
a large sum of money is spent every
year in the State to protect swine
from hog cholera, but not one cent
by direct appropriation for the re-
lief of tubercular patients, either
native or bequeathed to Florida by
every other State in the Union.
Inquiry is sometimes made why
the State board of health doesn't do
more for the consumptivcs. The
answer involves a bit Of rather in
teresting history. The legislature
of 1909 provided for the erection Of
sanitarium in Florida for the
treatment of tuberculosis, and the
identical same legislature "divert-
ed from the funds of the State
board sixty thousand dollars, which
|'had been accumulated by careful adj
ministration for this very purpose,
and placed the money to the credit
of the pension fund. The board has
not been able to recover from the
disaster sufficiently to do much for
the consumptives and still carry on
its other work.
Again, the sanitarium idea by JIM
stitutional management Except for
the absolutely incurables-the
down and outs) for the treatment Of
tuberculosis has come to be regarded
by the medical profession every
where as of doubtful value rather
than helpful, especially in the
Southern States, where balmy tenn
perature prevails. Open air, the
clean. fresh, uncontaminatcd air of
nature has been proven far more
beneficial and this idea is changing
the method of treatment in all parts
of the country.
District nursing, or more properly
district instruction, is most efficient
Tn combating the disease, in lessen
ing its ravages and in protecting the
community from infection. Open air
is available everywhere and If ev-
cry community in the State could be
educated to its proper use in this
connection, there is reason to be-
lieve that an incalculable amount Of
good might be accomplished and
many lives saved or prolonged.
With the funds at its disposal the
board of health is able to maintain
in the State three district nurses, or
instructors, who are doing an i'm
mense amount of good. One for ev-
cry county in Florida is needed, and
in some of the more populous counI-
ties two or three.
There is no legal authority by
which a man suffering from any
disease, tuberculosis, smallpox, vel.
low fever or the rest, may be taken
from his home, his castle, against
his will or that of his nearest
friends. There is authority by
which he and all who occupy the
same infected premises may be kept
within those premises for the pro-
lection Of the entire community 1.
Consequently, education appears to
be the only practical means by
which the best, or even good, results
may be reached. But even education
costs money and this money is not
now available, and it is not likely
to be available in Florida until pub.
lie sentiment shall be aroused to de.
mand of the law makers a larger de.
gree of intelligence and appreciation
of health matters.
| The legislature, some years ago
provided that the State board Of
health from its funds should furnish
free to the farmers of Florida hos
cholera serum to fight this disease
This serum costs the State fifteer
dollars quart wholesale, and on,
quart is sufficient to treat thirty
two hundred pound hogs. This ex
pense to the board during the cur
rent year will total close to thirt,
thousand dollars, about one-third o
, the entire fund at it's disposal
There are about fifty thousand farm
ers in Florida and one quart of ser
, UNI to each would cost three quar-
tiers of a million dollars. Ever,
: farmer has the right to ask, not TO
one quart, but two to ten. Figur
for yourself what that woul,
amount to.
The State board of health was or
ganized and exists to conserve tn
physical welfare Of the people O
Florida-human beings, not animals
IL properly exercises its function
lover animals affected, with olandor