The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-01-07
Relationship of Medical
Association to New Law
Interesting Paper Read Before County Medical
Society by DR.. j. r. Young.

Fhe relationship of the Medical AS
ISOLATION to the New Law, was the
subject OF an interesting paper by
DR.. j. r.. Young read yesterday before
the meeting of the County Medical AS
sociation, held at the hospital The
paper Is as follows.
There Is something in the air during
Christmas and New Year season that
prompts us to introspection. The days
themselves are in no way different
from those that precede and follow.
They are tounded in the East by sun
rise and In the west by sunset. This
analytical turn of mind or introspec-
tive mood is due to no alchemy Of
Father Time. but Is born of tradition
and Is nurtured In the lives and hearts
OF each succeeding generation. 1t finds
expression in the formal resolution
which some are won't to make, and In
the unwritten resolutions which We
all more or less unconsciously make
that this year will be our best. It was
this mood that actuated our president
when he wrote us that letter Of exhor-
tation and planned for this boosting
injecting. So 1t is fitting that we at this
time pause and study together some
Questions that are of great Importance
to us as couBtodians of the health of
our community and no question we
might choose would be- of greater inn
portance than the question of vital
statistics. 80 isJ' ~, r-lkhli ssii -.
Let us study first the benefits that
Will accrue from the State wide OBJ
servance OF the. vital statistics law,
the registration of all births 'iiand
deaths. i'i. ayf.e.; ..!,a
If complete and accurate informa-
ton as to death of all human beings,
with date and cause of death, were OBJ
tainatic, the various national, state
and municipal public health agencies
could observe more intelligently. They
would know what part of our mortal-
ity is preventable and when and where
such proventable diseases occur. Epi-
dimic diseases could be quickly de-
tectcd and proper preventative nut IS
ures adopted. The relative value of
these preventative measures could be
determined ty noting the results Sc
cured. Individual cities and localities
could determine their own death rate,
and by comparing with that of other
lc1ties, could determine whether their
public health agencies were getting
tsatisfaetory results from their. work.
no doubt home: seekers and r; immi-
Ferants would like ITO consult: accurate
records OF nhealthi conditions bafore
lsettlingtin any! community PromTa le-
tgal standpoint official records, of death
would be'of value in matters of inherit
tanceGand the settling upRofi;estatasi
| SO the mhking of a. death certificate,
ianstehd OF being trivial sori unimpobtl.
,ants affaire may. be- a. very Important
actsfor the physician to perform, For
the death certificate often gives tho
| first warning of the, presence, ina com
fmunity OF hpestileutial disease. Death
Fesistration permits health officers to
}attack, eDidemjcss IN. their :ipsipienee.
fan0i Is, onlyywhen preventative meas
ures are applied, at the exact time and
IpiaGca 0f utrlbFeak that an, spiieniic
ioan he quickly suppressed. When we
recall Iover. half the deaths in the
United States each year are duo to pre-
veptable diseases. and that we already
possess the scientific k- os ledge which
makes this prevention possible, the
duty OF the physician In this respect
assumes life and death proportions.
DR.. Irving Fisher is responsible for
the statement that "by the Intelligent
application of our present KIN Iwledge
the average span Of human life may be
Increased full is years" What this
would mean to the human family In
added happiness. productiveness and
eInciency is beyond comprehension.
This prolongation OF life however, is
not an individual matter, but is de.
pendent largely upon intelligent pub
lie action. y:5s 8, % K .ii.ss s,.Ss { -,
| 1t involves 5a) the. application OF
preventative measures, fbl. the preven-
ton OF Infant mortality, (cJ-the educn-
ftton ofSthe people that theyfmaN the
tmore intoiligentIy project fhems elvess