The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-14
ton to the discovery Of the value Of
NJ Mic hnnlAh ndnnnAinn

This discovery" he said. I'VE owe
primarily not to the professional sani-
tartan, but to the sociologist. II was
in the campaign against tuberculosis
that the importance of reaching the
individual citizen and teaching him
about the conduct OF his individual
life was first definitely grasped.
"In this disease II was quite clear
that the most important OF all
measures were, those which built up
the vital resistance OF the body and
maintained the fighting edge which is
so effective against this particular mi
crobic enemy. Above all healthy habits
OF individual living were essential.
Hence the anti-tuberculosis movement
became a great campaign OF popular
education. II was animated by a new
idea--.that Of bringing hyglenic knowl-
edge right to the individual In his
home and in his shop and 1t developed
new machinery. a new organization
for bringing about this end.
"Rca,iz.nE tho facts brought out as
a result OF the antl-tuberculosis move.
men' Comm ssioner Bigg5 has made
public education a cornerstone Of the
work oe he reOrga nized state Depart
mcut oe II cath The monthly bulletin
OF tho dtpa- .menl Is our official organ
Of communication with the public. and
from Il We have banished long and
technical discussion, for we aim to
make this Health NcUs Of practical
benefit 90 the average man and woman.
Each number contains half a dozen
I = -. a.
written by men Of national reputation
In their respective fields and each
number Is illustrated with cartoons,
diagrams and photographs. The edi-
ton has been enlarged TO more than
30 600 copies, OF which $4,000 are
mailed durint the winter months to
as many school principals in the State.
We are looking forward, you see. TO
future day when biology and public
health shall occupy not subordinate
but a central place in the school cur
riCulum. The average man may use
his knowledge Of history once a day,
his English grammar. his mathe-
MATES oftencr. ~ course but ne is
/ living all the time. day and night; and
Is either well or ill., happy or miser.
able. efficient or useless largely as a
result OF the conduct and management
/ OF th' delicate physical machine
which IL In his charge"
II il Prof Wlnslow's Job. under di-
rect!un OF DR. Riggs. to show the aver
age man. the average woman. the
average boy and girl. how to manage
that physical machine so that Il will
run smoothly. continuously and eff
ciently during far more years than
in the past. Many agencies are used
/ in this undertaking.
At present three different moving
/ picture demonstrations are being
/ finished which will be sent all over the
| state. One IL the story Of infant well
fare. another illustrates the care
/ needed in farm sanitation, and the
third will be film showing the SER
vices OF the visiting nurse. Each OF
! the films tells a dramatic story and
the points to be made are brought out
| in such way az to make the audi
ence think, and think hard.
The fact that the death rate in New
/ York city has decreased from EOS per
thousand population in 1900 to IA per
thousand at present has caused the
New York state Grange to sit up and
take notice, for the Grange knows
that in rural regions the death rate in
the same period OF thirteen or four
/ ;o5T gears remained practically sta
| tionary. having been reduced only
from 1875 per thousand in 1900 10 1914
in 1913. Therefore the Grange ap-
pointed special health committee to
! find ont what was the matter and 10
suggest a remedy.
II set out with this slogan: Rural
New York Ia entitled TO as good health
protection as the cities" And before
long the Grange ascertained that
/ health Is a commodity as purchasable
as -four, sugar. boots or shoes Given
sufficient money to pay for competent
instruction by men of high scientific
attainment, 10 pay for a publicity
campaign arousing tho people as q
| whole to the necessity of remedying
conditions leading to disease. to teach
mdn and women, old and young. how
10 care for themselves individually
what 20 eat and how TO eat Il. what 10
wear now to work, play and sleep
and the trick would be turned. Disease
would abate. death rates would de-
cline, and better health would result
A rapid survey OF conditions In rural
regions which include villages OF less
than 5000 population, revealed the
fact that persons living in them, cs-
pecially those on farms, pay far less
attention to hygiene and sanitation
than do residents OF great cities. In
multitude of instances the country
man sells all Of his best crops, IN
GLIDING fruits and Vegetables, which &c
to the city. and he feeds his family
and himself on what is left-the less
uourishug part
Again. the average woman in n ru.
rIl community has NOT learned nearly
as much about the proper preparation
Of food ~ has her sister Of the city
where much has been taught for a
decade ur more in school Kitchens
clubs and free public lectures Many
thousands Of rural homes are heated
by individual stoves. which make Ger.
tain parts of the house resemble bake
ovens and leave other rooms and hall
ways icy cold. Drainage Is by no
means as perfect; fresh air Ia 20 very
fresh and so very abundant, especially
in zero weather, that doors are kept
tightly closed, windows are sometimes
nailed down and the air Is breathed
over and over again, day after day
without sufficient change. Too hard
work too little sleep. too few amuse.