The Washington herald., 1914-04-06
Common Sense in Sanitation.
Rrw. c. RuckER.
BY W. c. RUCkEH,
Assistant Surgeon General, u. s. Public Health
Service.

are flooded by mass of proposed legislation which
is to right the sanitary wrongs of the municipality
the State, the nation, and unfortunately many OF
these find their way into the statute books. There
is in this country wealth of sanitary Legislation
which is impractical of administration and which
lacks uniformity and logical basis
The epidemioogist who's business is to study dis
in the light of its pre-, has long ago learned
that one law in operatIon j., rth ten unenforced
laws on the statute bo More than this, an idle
law casts diScrCdn " legislators who begat it
and the officials wh Il eSs is to enforce it. 1t
encourages a dIsregar laws which it is desired
to enforce, and thercf IS as a general hindrance
Many of thc public health ACTIVITIES in this country
would be further advanced today they not ham,
pered by impractical laws passed by the overzealous
Two general sets of faults may be found in the
sanitary laws of this country. The most common Of
these is scatteraon of ideas and the loading down
OF the health officer with more power than he could
possibly This is just great a fault as giving
him too little power Frequently law errs in the
opposite direction and endeavors to be too specific
in which event becomes the victim of legal quib-
bles which prove its utter undong. Most of these
laws have been drawn up by amateurs, and even the
very wisest professional is sometimes hard put 10 it
to draft proper law. AS matter of fact, there is
estate, excepting sanitary law and there is great
need, indeed for men who can combine with knowl-
edge of the law knowledge of the fundamentals of
epidemiology.
1t is not the purpose of this paper to be icono-
elastic or pessmstc neither is the value of the lay
cooperative effort underestmacd. 1t is good thing
for the sanitary workers of this country to have the
help and the council OF the medical profession and the
general public. Their watchful eyes may observe ad-
nistratve and instances OF effort gone astray
Their praise and criticism OF equal vaue-the
cne acting stimulus TO better work and the other
as spur TO efficient effort.
But the amateur sanitarian should be controlled
and directed and the principles of archaeological
practice applied with precision We should not con-
tnue to cling TO the practices OF yesterday merely
because of precedent but should take stock of our
selves and ask whether the measures which we are
now using in endeavors to control and prevent
disease have actual basis of fact
We must be careful in public health work that
we do not advocate the adoption OF certain measure
merely because it may control some remote of
danger. Already good many common sense laymen
offering the criticism that we carrying public
health measures to unnecessary fine point OF per-
fection- While this contention is not granted it must
be admitted that of the recommendations which
are being made by unframed enthusiasts bear close
resemblance to the Royal Societys recommendations
with regard to bathing These when reduced TO their
lowest terms, DO not battle"
The general public is fundamentally practical and
it is not enough that be able show that the funds
which it has given for the prosecution of public health
work have resulted in the saving of human lives This
is all very we'll but the hardheaded business man is
interested in the other from his public health
lie health is public wealth if We are able to secure
funds for the conduct OF research or the propyaxis
Of disease.
No matter how high ideals may be to the |
humanitarian aspect OF our profession we must ad-
minister the public health activities with due regard
for commerce Compare. for example the disastrous
effects produced upon trade intercourse by the pro-
btvc quarantines OF the past with the way in which
Federal quarantines administered today. Former
" nonintercourse the principle. Today it is the
maximum of protection with the minimum interier-
ence with trade.
Sanitary government is by the consent OF the gov
erned. In dealing with problems which affect social
and industrial life the epidemologst must be pos
essed of breadth of vision charity. and understand
ng if he would lead his people into the paths of
anitary righteousness. Arbitrary house quarantine
las brought about reluctance to report communca-
de diseases and disregard for quarantine that could
been avoided in part at least by the application
If little and charity. The sti-necked
nsisence the letter of the law which isolateS the
and separates mother and child kills
single blow the cooperation which has been devel-
,ped by years OF patient effort
Consider the untold sums which have been expend-
ID in the past i'll disinfecting places in which infection
lid exist to the utter disregard OF the living
of the seeds of disease We smile at the reports
# washing walls with antiseptics the height of
hree feet for the purpose of killing the masms of
ague, but is it any ridiculous than surface dis
Infection carried by many of the public health
gencies of today? Yet we continue year after year
burn incenses to the unknown gods of disease and
t the expenses of the taxpayer, whom we en-
Gavoring TO evolve into a sanitaran.
The measures which we recommend must be prac
ical Fact not theory, must be the basis of ac-
ion. Disease is not ghost but reality The COM
non sense application of knowledge alone will control
: Epidemology is that knowledge. 1t can be put
1to force by persons trained in that science provided
hey have funds and authority. The sanitary milIen-
irm will come, but research and common sense