South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-11
APPROPRIATE AssoCIATION.

Few things. it would seem, have
been more appropriately announced,
in South Bend recently. than the
forthcoming meeting Of the health Of
fcers OF the 18th district, which, as
the announcement runs, the under
takers have been invited 10 attend"
The meeting iT = be held under the
auspices OF he St. Joseph County
Medical society
That the medical society should
make a special effort 20 get the health
officers Of tie district together with
the undertakers. is suggestive, to say
the least, but why not include the
ministers and the sections? Physicians,
health officers, undertakers, clergy
men and sections. ought TO make a
splendid combination. in matters of
dealing with life and death, and you
can apply 1t whichever way you please.
We would not presume for an instant
that the purpose is TO promote
funerals on some division Of the spells,
but IL such should be the case, the
clergy and the sections are entitled TO
their share of the consideration. Per-
haps It might even be appropriate, in
some cases-inclu0!ng our own, If
Health Officer Bosenbury is to domi-
nate the conclave,-if the aggregation
should arrange to supply mourners
and pallbearers.
But maybe what the physicians want
to get the health officers and under
takers together on is matters of fumi-
gation-just the propagation of more
germ insanity. after the funerals are
over,-which is interesting, if not
matter OF relief. We believe that we
mentioned it only recently in this
column upon the best authority that
the leading physicians Of New York
have to offer. Possibly. on the other
hand, the wisdom of these New York
physicians has finally reached Indiana
NEEDLES too, and the purpose OF tn
Joint meeting is to denote rather than
promote the old inanity. OF course,
we must admit somewhere that the
real announced reason for inviting the
undertakers in. is that they may hear
DIR. Charles A. Carter on the subject
Of providing the state with the vital
statistics incident to their employment,
and TO encourage them to insist in the
gathering of such statistics, yet we
cannot see why some larger use might
not be made OF such opportunity, like
for instance, the furthering of more
New York-like propaganda.
1t Is dishearteniug. TO be sure. this
proposition that we are too much al
hicted with these germiphobia cpl
sodes. especially in the matter of flu
migation. but with life, as it is, just
one pesky thing after another, there
seems to be no escape. Take DR..
John B. Huber. in Golfers. for in
stance, as your authority. and not US.
we beg 30 be relieved Of Health ON
Ger Bosenbury's vertigo" current
every time we mention health, as
sorting thot we have no conception Of
what we are talking about. and that
accordingly, not having consulted him,
we must be all wrong. DR.. Huber
needs be his victim this time, since it
is he whom we quote, in short, as
being disposed 10 take from us the
great comfort we have enjoyed in be-
ing terrified by 1.241 germs progeny
next season-124,1OO.3 42-Or there
abouts), discovered and fastened
upon us by our health authorities and
other doctors.
Fear" says DR.. Huber. lis a prime
predisposition 10 any infection" Then
ne adds:
The safest refuge nom diphtheria
is the properly conducted ward Of
diphtheria hospital. The surest place
not to get consumption is well-man-
aged tuberculosis sanitarium," and he
prescribes pure air and sunshine in
place Of the ordinary squirting OF
formaldehyde, on the ground that in
lection is very largely a matter OF un-
cleanliness and actual contamination.
Most germs" he declares, cannot
retain their capacity for mischief for
any length OF time, anyhow"
We understand that the doctor is
not trying 10 sell us pure air and sun
shine, but just 70 Undue us with com
mon sense.