New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-08-07

eSllmdteS are LAT peloW tuoS
worked out by students of thes
conditions, Doctor Irving Fisher
for example, but they are sutfi
GENTLY convincing to the open
minded that sickness is a liabll
ity.
1t may 'Ge that one-half only o
the sickness here considered cOul,
be placed in the preventable class
1t is also clear that good, whole
some water and proper diSposa
of filth are not the only trans
hitting agencies Of disease, bu
the argument presented is to show
that illness is an annual tax from
which there is no escape. Is il
not wiser to pay IA protective tan
than to risk disease, probably
death2
Do we know that sewage anC
filth not properly disposed of are
a menace to health? In jackson
vile, Florida. in 1910, the death
and sickness rate from typhoid
fever was appallingly high. The
health authorities forced sewage
connections. the erection of san
itary fy-proof closets and strict
regulations for the care of these
buildings. La 1912, tine control
of the infection was assured and
the death rate from this disease
fell to a minimum. In every city
where control of sewage has been
established and water and milk
properly supervised, eases of
diarrheal troubles have been
greatly lessened. This is no
theory.
In these, as in the features of
the town survey already men
toned, your city does not show a
high standard. OF the places in
spected recently groceries 63,
markets GO, slaughter pens 4, ho-
tells and rooming houses 3, restau-
rants II, bakeries 3, saloons II,
barber shops II, drug stores 4,
bottling plants 3, creamery l,
diaries 9, miscellaneous 20, 1872
in all, only 10 scored good and
excellent; 1O4 were rated poor
Or bad and 80 fair.
Your city market does not meet
the requirements in many re-
spects: there are no facilities for
hot water; screens are defective
in places; ventilation in the meat
department. is not good; fixtures
in the vegetable and fish depart
ments are not clean; the toilets
leak and are not well kept. Are
you not afraid to eat meat or fish
from an insapitary ice boxY Do
you not fear Infection in dirty
barber shop? Should a commun-
lty dare refuse to acknowledge
facts like theseY ' ''|t'
1t may be suggested that clean
illness in these placs is not syn0n-
omous with freedom from disease
and this, too, may be granted.
But again, would you serve meat
on your table, if VOC knew it was
a portion Of diseased animalY
Would you feed your baby with
Mix from a trtJerculous cow i
know sad case Of tuberculosis of
the bone which developed in the
foot Of baby. Her father was
a physician and traced it back to
the sick cow from which the sup
ply was obtained. Had he not
been a doctor, the source might
never have been discovered. If
you spent an observing half hour
in the barber shop, would you al
low the use of rnsterilized instru-
Inents in your service9 Knowl-
edge Of how certain infections are
spread is certain. 1t seems folly,
pure and simple, to ignore condi-
tons which threaten individual
comfort and personal efficiency
when there is a remedy. 1 '' .
Since | am stating frankly the
situatiOn-and [ believe that is
the only way to accomplish any
thlng-I wish to add a word
about the statistical aspect of
your health problem. This morn
ing just before leaving | sent to
Doctor Patton s office for the vital
statistics record of New Iberia
for the past year. His report
shows that births recorded from
July !, 1914 to July l, 1915 num-
Der 135 and deaths 1S9 for town
and suburbs. For the town itself
ll9 births and 100 deaths.
According to the acknowledged
estimate, using 1910 figures for
population, the above record
shows only &c per cent. of births
recorded, but 100 per cent.
Turning To tho cards of