Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-08-25

DIR. Able, at Bar Harbor. Addresses
Hancock County Doctors.

Hancock County Doctors.
DR.. Robert Able, OF New York, the
eminent surgeon, who spends his sum-
mers in Bar Harbor, delivered the princi-
pal address at meeting Of the Hancock
County Medical association in Bar Harbor
last week. He said:
at will surprise only those who have
kept abreast OF the advances in sanitary
science to know that there Is, to-day, no
valid excuse for such epidemics as have,
heretofore, visited our cities, and summer
colonies.
1.-THE causes have been studied out.
The preventive measures are understood.
Sanitation has become q science. Massa-
chusetts led the way By establishing a
chair OF sanitary science, OF which tie
most distinguished exponent is Prof.
Sedgwick.
New England may we'll be proud
.sHis teachings and research have been
followed up by his many pupils, and the
technical diploma ISSUED by the state in
s,itute now establishes its holder to rank
a. one OF the professions - and In my
opinion, not second in Importance TO
medicine. the law and divinity.
"The problem OF economics alone in
city government demands sanitary SUI
pervision by specialists, who evolved ana
published simple common sense ruies-so
simple, and so effective that we wonder
at our former ignorance, and that we per-
mitted former disease breeding condi-
tions.
"Health for the people is parchasabie by
the state.
Hand in hand with public school edu-
cation system there has developed the call
for improved purity and cleanliness in
homes, streets and work shops.
ave invite now a review OF the es-
sential facts OF recent sanitary knowledge.
.Breyity is necessary in . subject that
has become so vast, and we must omit the
large field of tropical diseases which drift
into our ports flor which the sanitarian
must always be alert); OF local epidemics,
like hook worm disease, OF choiers, typhns,
yellow fever and other scourges, now,
happily, almost extinguished in our
country, by rigid quarantine and scientific
study.
.sThesel go hand in hand with recent
conquests OF tlights and insect pests
which. in previous times, have cursed the
farm. Through the initial work of that
greatest OF scientists, Pasteur, the wave
of triumph has spread.
mo tribute of wealth or humanity can
ever adequately express in his memory
the debt of those living to-day who, in
wealth and happy domestic living, enjoy
the freedom from scourges which beset
our Immediate ancestors.
s'Out OF that work has followed the
conquest OF germ diseases incident to
civilization on the exact lines as the
benefit to agriculture. Lister and
Pssteur made scientific sanitation posi-
bic.
"How quick the change has come.
Within the memory OF most OF US, II was
usual every week or two, 10 have the
papers heraid.sn outbreak of diph, heris
or an epidemic OF typhoid in some part OF
our country. Most often il came in the
autumn when summer visitors returned
to the city. Then, Jour city hospitals uni
formly expected the medical cards to fill
up with typhoid fever and malaria
brought from the country.
''At first the cause was sewer gas
poisoning sewer gas. That was
. cause one could smell. Every body
could smell IT. Plumbers reaped q har-
vest. Plumbing grew to . fine art.
Thank Heaven for that much! But nov
we know that the worst smelling sewer
gas OF putrescent garbage Is A. innocent
to producefyphoid as would be the odor
OF nice Pole cat. The only chance OF
propsgating typhoid Ia by tho preceding
typhoid case. II one typhoid case 10
found, follow to its source. Hunt the
pedigree Of every typhoid is the slogan
OF sanitary inspectors to-day. In this
way, andlcnly 30, has the scourge been
stopped. Thanks 10 sanitary science it is
being extinguisbed, a. nat urally as you
can beat OUT Q fre in the woods. Let
every town have its typhoid search the
moment one case occurs. II it comes from
a neighboring town the tendency is, like
the Pharisee, to say, We are not as other
men are.' But the model townsman will
start the .get-together habit for self
protection and help the other town in its
search.
The pedigree OF typhoid will invari-
ably lead 10 one OF three sources: Contain
painte water supply, a tainted milk or
food supply, or typhoid carrier. This
last is the now subtle and dangerous
origin OF epidemics.
In New York we have had two recent
Illustrations. Typhoid Mary is historic:
six years ago, two cases in family led the
doctor to suspect the cook, whose service in
another family had been followed by q