The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-28
FIGHTING TRIM.

In a pamphlet entitled Fighting
| Trim" issued by the United States
public health service, Surgeon j. NJ
Eager lays stress upon personal en-
deavor OF every individual as OF tue
highest public importance in the
organized war against disease. Tine
wonderful victories that have been
won in combating infectious maladieS
have had tendency to divert popular
attention from the equally important
personal fertilization against disease
of all kinds. The question of pre-
lparedness against onsiaughts of the
ienemy, a query prominent in the
minds OF everyone in these days O.
warfare is put in special personal
bearing as relating TO the dangers
{ Threatened by disease, the permanent
enemy of mankind are you person
ally prepaid, il is asked. for the HAND
( to-hand encounter with disease that
! you are sure to be forced into sooner
! or later or in which perhaps you are
already engaged? Unless you ara
willing to succumb without struggle,
| fight you must, no matter how feeDle
your fighting proclivities are The IN
evitability Of the battle against dis
ease is strongly insisted upon. Peace
between nations, it is stated, may not
be an unattainable hope. but even
when the much desired era Of human
concord comes and armed strife
among men has ceased, there will still
be an everlasting battle to fight.
ceaseless struggle for few more
years OF health and life. desperate
conflict against a foe who. as far as
victory over the individual fighter IS
concerned, is certain in the end TO
win-the battle against disease.
In the defense against disease two
things are necessay-a systematic
union OF fighters, the sanitary organ
ization, and personal preparedness.
the product of intelligent and dlllgent
personal hygiene. Personal prepared
ness is the patriotic duty OF every citi-
zen as an aid to national sanitary de-
/ Tense No man as a member OF So
ciety is morally free to live IN
hygienically or to acquire disease
through lack of personal care. Like
slovenly soldier, the person who
neglects his health risks impartins
to others his loose morale. or even
transmitting disease to the whole
community.
! Health is mans most valuable
POSSESSION. Without 1t he cannot
hold or enjoy anything else that falIs
I TO his lot or that he wins in the battle
! OF life Without health he Is burd-
en- TO himself and unless he possess
marked compensatory qualities. an en-
lcumbrance to his comrades. Though
tas victims of life's i'll chance. they
are entitled to the most sympathetic
consideration. il is a sad fact that the
h.,
amendments in the conflict of exist
ence. Their place IS in the rear. oftsh
indeed. as easy marks for the attacks
disease, they become targets draw
ing the fire OF the enemy. Wealth
position. friendship, ability to hell
Others are largely discounted b!
physical infrmfty."
The health making attitude o
mind is represented as profitable
talent. and fortunately one that cal
be acquired. Doctor Eager calls at
tention to the large available mass o
literature on health subjects-work
exercise. relaxation. sleep, fresh air
rrorer temperatures. food, cooking
cleanliness, etc. that should be judic
iouslv selected and studied. Ever.
person must learn for himself wha
= peril threatens in his special place
in life.
Studies Of health subjects in schools
End clubs. its exposition in publi
lectures. newspaper articles. ans
bulletins. have the salutary tendency
it is stated to promote wholesom
practices as an habitual exercise an'
derelop the precious quality of auto
matically choosing in every actor
and habit of life those courses tina
conduce to bodily soundness.