The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-10-26

DR.. III. L. Wright has made careful
study Of the mortality statistics of Ke-
nosha to study the loss of life from
preventable disease and he has prepar-
ed an interesting statement showing
what Kenosha has paid for lack of
cooperation in handling the big health
problem He says:
Among the few certanties on earth
is death, and most of us are willing
to admit that it is a thing we must
face in time, but we might assume that
some people believe their time is in
the far distant future-judging from
their actions.
However, once upon earth, each Of
us is entitled to at least reasonable
length of time in which to enjoy an
earthly existance and unless we have
health, we cannot hope to get the most
out of life, though we may succeed in
remaining on earth and breathing air.
and that is about all some people do
and it may appear to some observers
that they are really not entitled to
that, but it is certainly not necessary
for so many valuable lives to be ended
in the very prime of life when they
should be getting so much pleasure for
themselves, and when they are most
valuable to society and the world in
general.
1t might be very interesting to try
to estimate the real value to the world
If "a man like Edison could live to be,
one hundred and fifty years of age,
and certainly it is not necessary for so
many citizens OF Kenosha to fall vic
tins of preventable diseases, and we
find from the records covering period
of nine years, that over sixteen humid
red people have died from preventable
causes, and entirely too many have
fallen victims of the so-called systemic
or chronic diseases, as we find that
tuberculosis claimed one hundred and
sixty-siX citizens, while heart disease
Is reported to have been responsible
for two hundred and eighty-three, and
pneumonia Gall forms) following very
closely with a toll of two hundred and
seventy-four deaths, and while we have
record for only nine years on typhoid
fever, the total of fifty-six, though that
many too many, speaks well for the
cleanly habits of the citizenship and
the skill of the local physicians-an
this disease belongs to the preventable
class, as each case comes from careless
ness often backed up by ignorance.
Scarlet fever has claimed as high as
Hfty-four children in one year with q
total of sixty-six for the nine years
and diphtheria twenty-six in the same
period of time, while cancer has caus-
ID the death of one hundred and five
citizens, many of whom might have
been saved by preventive surgery.
Not only recent events, but each year
hnce 1908, the records show an awful
daughter of human beings from acct
'ents and the total for that period, up
70 1916, or for nine years, is one humid
ed and seventy-three, and it certainly
loes not require much of philosopher
10 figure out the possibility of many
If this number having been prevent
lble, if the proper steps had been
aiken at the proper time, and while
his is lower than some other cities
# about the same population, it is
till too high
Sad though it is, the records show
hat in nine years time, thirty-five peo-
lie have seen fit to, and supposedly
cit justified in taking their own lives
md many of these, no doubt, could
lave been prevented, if the right per
on had acted at the right time, and
n the right manner-and it occurs TO
he writer that many of us could do
much to tighten the burdens of others
md make life look better to those who
ave allowed themselves to become dis
discouraged and down-cast, and as some
oet has written
IT'S the human touch in this world
that counts,
The touch of your hand and mine;
That means much more to the faint
ing heart than shelter and bread
and wine,
For the shelter is gone when the
night is ore,
And the bread lasts merely a day;
But the touch of the hand and the
sound of the voice,
Sing on in the soul allway.
Entirely too many of our little citi-
ems have had to give up their lives
ach summer, as the total number of
eaths from stomach and bowel dis
ases reached for the nine years a
Tand total of two hundred and
sVenty-six and surely half of that
Rmber might have been prevented,
Dd this is certainly duty we should