The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-15

--% SNNA Ad0 SttD- ltation whenever the people demand them' but so long the people are silent, statesmen, who. as a rule, are politicians first, will very rarely spon- taneously take the lead. On the other hand if there Is popular demand, those who are running for office will be glad to make these measures a part Of the reasons why they should be elected. There are four things neces- Gary to provide this public education:
 l. To create a desire upon the part of the people to know something of the conditions that affect their health ard produce disease.
 7. There must be something specific and definite to teach.
 3. Disinterested and competeut teach CTS
 1. Ways and means to reach the peo- pie.
 The people must first be taught of the great value of health, as an in- dividual and communal. asset. They must not only be shown that it is in- teTesting from the standpoint of life end death. but also from the economic standpoint of production and wealth The message given them must not be con1ectures, doubts and uncertainties, Tut definite and specific The teachers must be both disinterested and com pettent, and in thi seducation the med ical profession should be the teachers under the auspices and direction of na- tonal. state county and municipal medical organizations
 In campaign for education of the public on preventive medicine the err rofs that now obtain must be first cor rected. One of these and perhaps the enc of greatest importance is the idea nd h axyfd d dar,ff fa1 hence as pestilence to punish a wicked individual or people. Another is the Idea Of fatalism. which obtains in the minds of many people that over the causes that operate to affect life and health injuriously there is no method Of removing or destroying them. As general proposition, if doubt Is once raised in the minds of men that they may possibly be wrong. and that this error results to their detriment they Will be willing to listen to the story of the new teaching. To prepare the minds of great many people for this education a great deal of tradition custom, ignorance. prejudice and in difference will have to be overcome It must be established that medicine IS a science and art whose fundamental basis Is truth. It can easily be proven that modern medicine in many partic- uiars at least is founded upon estao- ished facts and their logical inter- pretation Many instances can be cited as illustrations. The method of reach ing the public is far more difficult Any popular publication devoted to the discussion of health problems would not obtain sufficient circulation to guarantee it's maintenance, but such publications might be induced to pro- vide page or column for the discus sion of health problems as indeed mary nave already done. If would be great consummation if the newspapers would be willing to give part of their space to the intelligent discussion by competent writers upon health topics. Two of the newspapers in Alabama, The Birmingham Age-Herald and the Birmingham News. voluntarily prof Tered their columns in their Sunday edition for the discussion of health topics by the city health officer. An emulation of these public spirited newspapers by the press of the country would offer adequate means for reach Ing and educating the masses of the people. Public addresses in churches, schools, theatres. the halls of various societies. etc. should also be em- rloyed
 To the mind of the present speaker. great work of the Southern Medical association is in the education of the public under it's auspices and patron-
 
 limitations very frequently define the , nature and character of the diseases there prevalent. It is a reasonable con- clusion that medical organizations and the doctors within this limitation arc | better qualified to talk about the dis eases of their particular sections. There | is a great deal of difference in the prevalent diseases in cold, temperate | and hot climates. Different climates | afford different kinds of favorable eli viTonment for the growth and spread or certain bacterial and parasitic dis cases through insects that act as car riers and intermedite hosts. Aga1n there is a difference in the inherent predisposing causes to disease In the population of different localities, na- tionalities and races. Tn the south the stupendous question of negro preserva- | ton and mortality and in the cities the | low birth rate of that race obtain. Modern manufacturing developments | in the south raise new problems of dis ease and health among the people. par | ticularly the cotton mill industry. 1 Finally the great change in the peo- | r1e's habitation. environments and oc- equations from the country to cities, and from agriculture to manufacture. It is to be confessed, speaking gen | orally. the south does not at the pres | ent time to the fullest extent enga ge { in advanced thought and action in the | preservation of health and prevention of disease Therefore there is a great work along these lines yet to be done | in the south. That the southern peo- 1 ple will rise to the occasion and pa trotically and thoroughly provide and execute the efficient and benificent