Newark post., 1915-09-08
MEDICAL EXAMINA-
TIONS AS PREVENTIVE
Michigan's Plan For Tubercu
losis Day


statewide observance of "Tuber-
culosis Day. as the result of a
proclamation issued by Wood
bridge N. Ferris, governor of the
State, in which referring to the
nature of the disease, he empha-
sizes the need of detecting the
plague in it's early stages, and re-
quests "all physicians engaged in
the practice of medicine, to exam
inc any who present themselves,
warning any who have symptoms
to take precautions before it is too
late.
Practically all the physicians OF
the State responded to the appeal,
remaining in their offices through
out the special day designated, and
examining without charge, or any
obligation whatever, all those who
presented themselves.
The habit of going to physlc-
ian at stated intervals to be exam
ined before the malady is beyond
remedy, Just as one goes to his
dentist, to keep the destructive de-
cay from running the tooth una
wares, seems a splendid one to
cultivate. The life insurance COM
panies have been quick to catch
the wisdom of the plan and are al
ready working upon schemes TO
provide free physical examina-
tions for their policy-holders at
least once a year, There are 20,
900 900 policy holders in this coun-
try, yet the life insurance compan-
: les have figured that the expendl-
, ture of S10O,90O,O00 { hundred
millions of dollars) every year on
, doctors examinations would amply
: repay them. These examinations
. would detect tendencies to disease
, before these tendencies become
2 set. They would detect the begin
( ming of disease while yet it could
0 be easily eradicated. And thus
o life would be extended. The OBJ
iect of the life insurance COM
a panies is, of course, purely mer-
cenary. By extending the life OF
the policy holder the companies
collect more premiums. But it is
8 important to notice that the com
panies do not plan to extend life by
3 treating the man after he falls
3 sick. And examinations are thus
g authoritatively recognized as be
I ing preventive.
q 1t isn't the sick man who proflt
s so much by such examination a
ID the we'll man. That is, the appar
10 emily we'll man. When the engin
Is breaks down a very cursory exam
ID ination will reveal the cause. Blu
AZ when the engine is apparentl
SO whole, it may really be on tn
II verge of breakdown. A nut ma
90 be loosened to the last thread.
98 bolt may be cracked. A sudde
10 lar or strain may bring about a
20 engine failure. 1t is englneerln
d wisdom to make examination
57 the engine to detect such defec'
before they have time to progre:
oo to the point of breakdown.
90 The body is our physical engin
'47 It is our automobile, our locom
'2O tive, carrying us about the street
'5l It is our feed mill, grinding up o'
'62 food 1t is our chemical labor
'9O tory wherein the elements of mutt
'79 ment in the food are transmut'
'97 to blood and strength. 1t is o.
'29 pumping station, carrying t.
752 streams of blood irrigation to ;
s3l parts of the body. 1t is our ia
S34 hing mill, taking air through t
69l nostrils and lungs for the purific
1873 ton of our system, carrying OIL
94l fluids and solids the poisono
846 waste of this physical facto
wherein are produced the esse
875 tials of life and efficiency.
655 Consider what a complicated {
724 CINE your body is and then &C
727 slider how little care you give
TIC You stoke it with food, but is tt
all there is of good engineerin
755 You let it run down little
906 night, you wipe off its outer pa
754 in bathing-but what do you KIN
Isl about it's condition otherwise?
The soldier will give his Fl
cco care to the horse which carr
0'' him. The locomotive engln
will go carefully over every p
of his engine before taking it
1So on run, and after the jour
it will be carefully examined
761 the roundhouse again. But
aSe ~ body, which must carry US thro.
QUA every hour of every day for o.
GO or 70 years-we too OF
729 think it can get on without par
ular attention!
688 When, through our inatten'
$40 and lack of knowledge, a