Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-10-26
SIAM SEEKING FACTS
ABOUT HOW TO live
Brother of King In America
to Learn Hygiene and SAM
tation Measures.

tation Measures.
Gloucester, Mass, (by maiD.-The
kingdom of Siam, which through &C.
casional bouts with it's neighbors In
the southeast corner of Asia, long has
maintained it's right to be known as
THE Country OF the Tai (the free),
now seeks a. new independence-that
founded upon hygienic living: For ald
in freeing itself from the diseases OF
the tropics it turns to the new world.
This is the mission to the United
States of Mahildo, prince Of Songkla.
brother Of ~Vajiravudh, king of Siam or
the North n South, sovereign OF the
Laos and Malays, who has arrived III
this country and taken temporary resi-
dence at this old fishing port.
The prince has a vision Of a new Siam
when the public health will be the Sc
rious concern Of the government, the
care OF the body taught in the schools,
sanitary living made compulsory, pre-
ventable diseases prevented, n with
state control of marriages to make I'M
possible the union Of those not physl-
cally fit.
The prince has begun a course lead
ing to a certificate in public health ana
embracing studies at Harvard univer-
sity and the Massachusetts Institute OF
Technology. The certificate presup-
poses knowledge Of anatomy. physiol-
ogy, pathology, biological chemistry,
sanitary biology, preventive medicine
and hygiene, demography, vital statis-
tics and sanitary engineering.
Just now the sixth son Of his late
Majesty Chulalongkorn is stopping
with his suite at a cottage at Bass
frankness-he is "a years of age-but
modestly, Of his plans and ambitions.
The prince is quite democratic and said
This was in keeping with the spirit Of
Siam. which, while in theory an ahso-
iute a~utocracy, was in reality more
monarchies. Siam has no written con-
stitution. The kings word is the law.
Il am not likely to reach the throne,
but that does not worry me" he said
by way of Introduction. my ambition
is to lead a life of usefulness l could
majesty's brother, but I think it is very
silly that I should be honored simply
because 1 happen to be who I am. If
l am TO be honored I wish it to be be-
cause I have earned my honors."
During 10 years Of study in England
and Germany the prince %pondered on
how he could best serve his country,
and finally decided hat the people Of
Siam needed more han anything else
an enlightened application of the laws
of hygiene. America, where could be
experienced a wide range of climatic
conditions along with it's higher insti-
tutions of learning. afforded him OPP
portunities, he thought, the equal of
which could be found in no other
country.
II am a lieutenant in the navy, now
o reserve, but saving life is more to
my taste than taking it. I believe in
an efficient army and navy, sufficient
nv, F0~ ,1ofNrc{y1 r,,~Do~o~ 1o1 No
yond that 1 prefer to see the public
money invested in public works. I
would rather build hospitals than war
ships. l have chosen the study of hy-
giene because l think it will give me
the widest opportunity to be useful"
Drainage a been a serious prob
lem in Siam because of the level char
acter Of the lower districts, where near
the mouth of the river Menam Chao
PLY stands the beautiful capital Of
Bangkok, with its population of more
than 500, 600. In lower Siam the rivers
chief sewers and flushed by the rise
and fall Of the tides.
Tho king, who as the crown prince,
visited the United States a few years
ago.. before his coronation in 1910, has
worked out a great water supply and
drainage system. The Menan Chao
Phya has been tapped at various points
north of Bangkok and the water car
ried through canals to pumping sta
lions. where 1t is raised to two great
reservoirs from which it has a natural
flow to the capital. At the reservoirs
the water is filtered, thus affording a
pure supply. At the same time the
water supply has made possible an ef-
fective sewerage system which is be-
ing gradually extended. The killing Of
cattle for food is done under strict u
pervision at government abbatoirs and
other safeguards against epidemics
have been taken.
However. in recent years." said the
prince, the plague has been brought
into Siam by Chinese, while cholera,
bert beri, and other tropical and COM
municable diseases are altogether too
common. The infant mortality Is dis
tressingly great. I hope to fit myself to
cope with these problems or at least to
lay the foundation for the work. Per
haps in SO years there will be a healthy
SIAM"
The prince has advanced ideas on the
subject Of social problems. He is partic-
ularly interested in the relation of the
use Of alcohol to disease. In Siam the
manufacture n sale of spirits is q
state monopoly and the national drink,
rice liquor, may not contain more than
SO per cent alcohol. He would further
restrict the use Of intoxicants and i'll
this reform he would begin among the
noblemen.
Il came here" continued the prince,
both because I believe I can learn most
here and because we need American
sympathy and help. We now have a few
students in this country, but the fact ia
hardly known to you. If we did not
regularly send students to London, Ber-
lin and Paris. those governments would
be highly offended. We wish Americans
to pay q little attention to Siam. We