The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-09-02
EDITORIALS WORTH I
READING 4
HEALTH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER is.

1t has been suggested that the
Southern Medical Journal is devoting
/ too much space to the discussion OF
public health and sanitation but such
is not the opinion of the majority OF
| its friends and supporters. Consider
ing public health the most valuable
asset of the people, the editors will
continue to keep the subject before
the minds of southern doctors for the
sake of all of the people of the match
less Southland. One of the most use
full agents favoring public health and
sanitation is the periodical use of
Christian pulpits by physicians.
Health Sunday is a new and won
derful institution. On that day the
people of hundreds of cities and towns
receive instructions from their ablest
physicians as to how to preserve their
health against the assault of mi
crobic invasion, and hear what are the
consequences of their neglect of the
rules of cleanliness. Hundreds of our
most worthy citizens are made
to realize not only the necessity but
the profitableness of observing the
sanitary regulations that are promul-
gated by medical men who are especi-
ally skilled in all the eliments of san
itation and many of whom devote
their entire time to its work. The
laity and the medical profession have
shown a readiness to meet each other
for these discussions that promise
great benefits in the immediate fu-
ture.
The way Health Sunday, June 20,
was observed in Memphis, Tenn, is
typical of the occasion all over the
country. The protestant ministers,
cooperating with the department of
health and the Shelby County Medical
Society, turned their pulpits over to
the physicians. In about fifty
churches heath sermons were deliver
ed to the white citizens by well known
doctors, who were delighted with the
earnest attention they received and
the favorable comments expressed by
their hearers. Similar work was also
done in about thirty negro churches.
The subject mainly dealt with was,
by previous agreement, the proven
ton of malaria. Not less than $4,000
people were thus instructed in Men,
phis alone on Health Sunday.
Multiply this by the many other
cities doing the same good work and
the extent of this crusade against dis
ease will begin to be realized. 1t
should be continued and theoretically
pushed while general interest is
aroused. The Journal ventures to sug-
gest that the program be repeated,
and that every county or city medical
society in the South arrange with the
of all denominations to de-
vote the third Sunday in September
to the further propagation of the Cos
pei of health. 1t is eminently appro-
pirate that the medical men of today
thus emulate the examples of the san
itarians whose laws, recorded in in
the Bible, contain the elements of all
the sanitary philosophy of today, re-
Numbering that the only educated
discipline OF the Master was Luke, the
physician. The Journal urges every
medical society within the scope of it's
influence to take this matter up with
out delay and arrange for another
Health Sunday on the 18th day Of
September. Mention your intention
to your local press. Every newspaper
viii support the movement and give it
the neseccary publicity. In this in
stance our duty and our opportunity
coincide. No Southern society, or it's
members, should prove laggard in the |
cause. 1t will be profitable meas
ure, from every point of view. So
cieties that take up the work at the
date suggested should send brief
notice OF. their action for mention in
the department of Southern Medical
News" The names of the churches
used and of the physicians occupying
their pulpits will be appreciated.
Medical Journal.