Milford chronicle., 1914-02-27
fine ADDRESS ON PUBLIC
HEALTH And SANITATION

of the Milford New Century Club and a
large number of prominent residents of
the town on Monday afternoon last. in
the New Century Club rooms; the sub
ject being Public Health" The ad-
dress was lengthy, but was we'll worth
/ publishing for the information of the
/ general public. DR.. Poetschke announced
that a sample Of water from the Milford
water plant had tested very high, and was
chemically pure. The address follows 4:
The members Of the Milford New Cen
tury Club.
Ladies and Gentlemen
1t was with q keen sense of pleasure
that / accepted the invitation of the
chairman Of your Committee on Civics,
Mrs. Frank 1. Grier, to address you on
the subject Of public health.
Your motto, knowledge comes, but
Wisdom fingers, seems to sound the
keynote Of the public health problem of
some communities. Wisdom constitutes
the practical application of knowledge
to the best ends, and it is the practical
application Of the knowledge gained by
workers in the field of sanitation, bac-
teriology, and chemistry, with which
we are most vitally concerned.
IL is indeed gratifying to note that the
public spirited citizens, and especially
the women, are actively interesting
themselves in the problems of health
conservation. There is a disposition on
the part Of the general public to ignore
the invaluable work of many of our lead
ing sanitarians, or rather to regard such
work with an unusual Indifference.
Our health boards are frequently ham,
pered in their work by political Oppor-
iu4r r0 uoaLr Nn irArrnrrh tho Frror.Lr
of the health authorities at the solicita-
tion Of certain constituents for appeal
for relief from the attendant expense of
vital improvements which directly effect
the health and longevity of the individ
ual The work of politically controlled
health board is not only useless, but is
a distinct menace, since the feeling of
false security which is promoted by the
mere existence of a health board so con-
trolled, results in a serious relaxation
on the part of the community who feel
that all matters pertaining to the public
health are receiving proper attention.
The general public must take an in
terest in the work of its health board,
and thus determine whether the appro-
priations made are adequate for efficient
work. as well as to see that all disburse-
ments are made to the best advantage.
it is a Recognized fact that the appro-
priations for health work are frequently
mere pittance in comparison with other
municipal expenditures. Undoubtedly
the safeguards which can be provided by
an efficient health board, are often neg
lected By the public through a lack Of
knowledge of the dangers which lurk in
filth.
meteorological science has enabled US
80 ola IL the kw1ner,fecfog1 of di-
) sease germs through the medium of in
sects, dust, food, Especially milk, water
and shellfsh), drinking cups, towels and
the like, and while unclean conditions /
are directly resp ponsible for the spreading
of infectious diseases. we frequently find /
cases of infection transmitted through /
apparently clean food and utensils. The .
act Of pouring milk, or cream, obtained .
from an unsanitary dairy. into a clean .
pitcher and placing this upon clean
table-cloth, does not render that milk or
cream wholesome. Removal from dirty
to clean surroundings is transference,
and not publication. Likewise the ap-
parentiy pure white linen brought from
the laundry. may have been repOsing in
a home reeking with the germs of ty-
phoid and tuberculosis.
Insanitary surroundings are the pre-
disposing causes of infections disease,
andit becomes the duty of the local health
board of our towns to provide clean and
wholesome surroundings through the
agency of ordinances. A central body
having the requisite authority, can ac-
complish much towards safeguarding
the community from infections diseases.
The ISOLATION of contagious diseases,
and the proper disinfection of premises
,F It,es .f ,
q health board.
Sanitation of labor shops is another
problem of vital Importance. The prac-
tice Of using the same shaving brush ,
and cup, without sterilization. on the
next customer, or the same towel, can
not be condoned. The so-called face
massage is generally recommended for
removing blemishes of the skin, but !
more often this practice consists largely
q the application of filth from unclean :
bands. This so-called massage, might
better be termed THE barber's hand
cleaning process. The use of the s
familiar alum stick to stop the flow of
blood from cuts, is another evil, since
the same stick is used on all the I'M 5
fortunates, until it is consumed. !
The headrests on chairs should always c
be covered with a clean towel. or else
paper napkins, now supplied in rolls for
the purpose, should be used. Hot towels
% be applied to the face, should not
BE- merely rinsed in warm water, but
should be sterilized in a steamed cham -
1ar, since they are generally used on =
n2 ore than one victim. Il
The invention of the safety razor, I
Enlle primarily money-making propO- z
a1on, has undoubtedly been a boon to q
lqmapity in the prevention of disease. I
there are many clean and sanitary bar
Ter shops, but in infinitely greater num- "
ers are those that can and should be y
nade to conform with sanitary require -
aents. H
Regular medical inspection of public &C
ad even of private schools, is of the ut 70
aost Importance in the prevention and te
pread of diseases such as trachoma, ~
earlet fever, diphtheria, measles, and 81
ae like. The schools have been declared Ct
be the foci of infection, by one of our Da
'eding sanitarians This will not sur an
lse those of US who recall the now per- m.
CONCLUDED ON ANOTHER PAGE[. cit