The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-06-10
Bethel awake TO NEEDS.
ENTHUS ENDORSE
HEALNH CAMPAIGN PRO.
POSED By DIR. HOWELL.
Heartily Pledge Themselves to Adopt
suggestions offered to Produce
Better Health in Community-Sani-
tary Survey Will Commence at
Once.
From The Daily Item, June Z.

dred people of Bethel school neighbor-
hood attended the first public health
meeting at Bethel school last night at
which DR.. J. T. Howell, director of
rural sanitation of the State board
of health, delivered an illustrated lee
ture on important questions of public
health.
Rev. William Haynsworth, of Beth
Ell church presided. Mr.. Haynsworth
in opening the meeting heartily en-
dorsed the movement for improving
the hygienic conditions Of the rural
districts by the State board of health,
and assured DR.. Howell that he in
tended to put in every sanitary con-
venience recommended
DR.. r. B. Furman, a we'll known
and popular practicing physician of
the Bethel section, in a few we'll chos-
en- remarks endorsed everything said
by DR.. Howell and advised his fellow
citizens to install the sanitary closets,
protect their homes from flies and
mosquitoes, and otherwise safeguard
their health conditions, as suggested
by DR.. Howell.
Secretary e. I. Reardon, of the
Sumter Chamber of Commerce was
called upon next to make a short
talk. He briefly outlined the plans of
1.-THE Sumter city council, board of
health, and citizens Of Sumter in car
rying out the suggestions made by DR..
Howell. The secretary suggested the
Organization of civic Improvement
clubs among the women of the rural
districts. mothers in particular, to
save lives Of the babies, and hold reg
ular meetings to study questions of
public health, and how to make the
homes more economical, hygienic, ef-
flcient and beautiful.
He stated that the Sumter Cham
ber Of Commerce had induced the
State Board of Health to send DR..
Howell and DR.. Brohun here to work
in the rural districts to educate the
masses of the people how to protect
their health. and that while these
sanitary officials were in this county
the city authorities. Civic League, and
Chamber Of Commerce together with
all Sumter citizens are utilizing the
expert sanitary knowledge of these
experienced government officials to
improve the sanitary conditions of this
city.
| DR.. j. H. Haynsworth, county su-
perintendent of education, in behalf of
the educational department Of Sum-
ter county. heartily endorsed DR..
Howelrs efforts for making the rural
districts more desirable place in
which to live. Nothing better could be
done in his opinion to contribute to
the prosperity Of the country than
lowering the death rate, decreasing
the amount of preventable diseases,
and he hoped that hygiene would soon
the curriculum of the public schools.
He said that the county board of
education was working with the Sum-
ter Chamber of Commerce cheerfully
to back up DR.. Howell in his work in
the rural districts and that these two
organized forces intended to put forth
every available cooperative, educa-
tional. and get-together assistance in
! their power.
! DR.. Howell then began his highly
educational, comprehensive. and plain
talk. illustrated by lantern slide pic
lures. The speaker eliminated every
complicated technical phrase and
spoke in plain English so that even
the youngest school boy or girl could
thoroughly understand the serious
import Of his remarks.
He showed by the lantern slides
as we'll as by his talk, just how
the flies scatter diseases. He told of
the life history of flies. How to pre-
vent them from injecting our food,
and went into details about the va
rious methods of preventing the in
Producing of disease into our homes
through the flies.
He advocated the building Of fly
proof closets, protection of the milk
and water supplies, and showed how
the neglect of the negro tenant
houses and premises by white land
lords resulted in the families of the
whites being infected from the un-
protected outhOuses of the darkies.
Dr. Howell drew a very plain picture
OF what parsimoniOus and selfish
methods of living mean when the
we'll to do and intelligent white land
lord allows his less intelligent and
cifi