The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-10
" = X X X X X X X X \! X II X =
" 1870
(. pJrBLIC HEALTH AND
!. THE NEGRO.

II X " n II n * ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The relations of the negro to the
white race. in the matter OF pupllc
health in Florida are complex.
The relations between the races are
many, but in this respect they are ~
interviewer that what affects either
affects the other. In this, all ques,,
Itions of sentiment may be dlsmlsSea
and that of economic interest alone be
considered. A few basic facts con-
troll the situation. A..
With appreciate exceptions. the
negro is not educated to the point Oh
heing fitted to administer his own
lest sanitary interests. He must be
Guided bv more intelligent advice,
than his own, formulated in laws that
CONSERVE the mutual interests OF poth
races. .,,,
In Florida, as in other, southern
states, the negro OF both sexes Is
the manual laborer. This relatlon
brings both sexes into close contact
with the employing race as farm anu
mill hands, as porters and IN minor
clerkshps, as cooks, nurses ana iauh-
" The majority of these workers live
nv themselves and largely as tenants
in homes. owned by white proprletorS'
mon whom depends in large measure
the providing and enforcing OF SAM
tarv conditions. ,.,. A.,
With such existing conditions the
white employing race owes a plan.
duty to see that the surroundings OF
the employed are constructed more
s Y. than at present in Florida
He owes it to see that higher stand,
,rds of living are maintained: ana
this debt is based on no idea OF sen
timent alone, but quite as much on
- that of economy, of dollars ana cent
. An endemic of smallpox among the
!, negroes of any community can by nc
means be confined to that race; Il
must almost inevitably sprea(
!. through the entire neighborhood, IN
+ Gliding whites and blacks alike. lh'
: more dangerous and more subtle DIS
: eases of tuberculosis and typhoid re
> YER. because they are less easily ne
+: tected. are the more lilsely to b
= snread regardless of race, from tn
cook and nurse employed IN whit
homes. liza.
+ To put the facts even more blunt
. ,v--the negro as a race is 4 charg
in uron the intelligence of the whit
ave race in the South, IN much the sam
lall sense as the young child, who is le
of norant of his own best interests an
sid who must be advised, restrained an
protected by higher intellectually
ave than his own. Particularly is tn
axe true, in sanitary matters, in the cor
ar gested centers of population whel
ori the closer density of population II
of duces insanitary living. condition
yer- which in rural communities and Q
the farms offset in some degree by wld'
I'M separation and purer air
der Il is a duty of the white race
ida Florida to insist on and provide home
age for the negro tenant that are san
,esc tarv and that favor sanitation, y.
ms nrovide against the possibility OF al
,ery ease infection. These should
| to screened; the toilet should be waite
be flushed, if it be possible; it shou
axe he so far removed from the hou
OF and the water supply as to avoid
nossible infection of either. The clo
ct should be screened to prevent I
nhoid infection, and the water supp
lest, should be plenty and pure,
New More than this, the landlord own
should keep a constant oversight
de- the tenant and of his living methoG
ugh He should insist that the premises
e to maintained in sanitary condition. +
con. should be more than an adviser;
mis- should insist that his odrers tor 60,
re- sanitary conditions be obeyed and !
fool should take means to enforce the
THY orders.
| a To carry out this program
will should be informed as to the be
methods of sanitation, and distrus
t is inc his own information he shou1
orli advise with local, city or state heal
d OF authorities.
eeks The economic value, even the nece
ami sity, of such oversight of negro e1
it is ployees and tenants can not be t
tans strongly emphasized. 1t is an &c
We nomic obligation that the white ra
anne owes to the other, besides being
ago moral debt that cannot be repudiat'
able, State Board of Health Bulletin.