Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-02

there were reported in this city, where congestion compelS personal contact to reasonable degree. only forty three new cases. while scattered through New Jersey there were fifty one new cases. and yet the New Jer- sey roads are dotted with inspectors holding up and driving back the chill dren of New York. Long Island is as hysterieal as New Jersey. For weeks the hamlets of Suffolk county have been closed to children under sixteen, certificate or no certificate. The yell low flag reigned on the turnpike; the medical officers stood on the railroad steps. and yet new cases of the dis ease are reported from the sparsely populated villages where barricades against the outlander are strongest. The mystery of it's transmission is as dark as e~er. All that is evident is that in the places where oflcialdoTn has set it's heaviest hand on the free- dom of the individual the paralysis has struck as hard as in those places where reason has governed preventive ef- forts" The Sun further says: Tt would be interesting to know how many children who have been report- ed as victims of poliomyelitis have tainly germain at this time and the wonder Is that The Sun together with other metropolitan dailies has not been led to ask 1t before Probably be- cause they've been too much engross- ed with the boastful utterences of the medico political scientist to give any heed to the interests of the people; too anxious to expatiate ou the beauties of the germ theory and too willing to endorse the schemes of the A. H. A. During the past fifteen years Norwich citizens have steadfastly refused to be stampeded by fear of disease into compliance with demands of the med- ical oFligarchy that we turn our chil- dren over to the tender mercies of self styled protectors of the public health. We have refused to listen to the scare hea} lines published in the daily pa pers from time to time, about the mortal dangers that are advertised to turk in dust, in water in fruit and veg etables. in milk and in air. Our chil- oren have not been brought up in an atmosphere of terror at these daily un- seen enemies, and but small per- centage of our people take stock in the doctrine that man is walled in by invisible lethaI microbes that cease not day or Iight, to threaten his health and his life.
 Something oyer year ago when dis cussing the medical inspection ques- ton in your columns. I quoted from an article written by Dr. J. B. S. King, Editor of the Medical Advance, criticising the methods of santtarians and health authorities. pr. King said
 
 rians recognized the effect of fear ip other branches of public health work. Unbappily they do not, and 1t is a part of the work of the public health officials to excite, fonent, stimulate, encourage, and spread abroad a state l of fear and anxiety. By hot house methods of culture an unreasoning dread of all contagious diseases has been artifcially raised and encourag- | ed until it exists to an enormious ex- 1 tent. There are few poisonous drugs l as powerful in their effect as fear; it can drive a vast volume of blood from 1 the periphery to the internal organs l blanching. the skin and congesting the 1 spleen, liver and other organs. 1t can relax or temporarily paralyze the mus l cles that close the lips and the jaws 1 It can paralyze all the voluntary mus 1 cles so that it's subject when there is mort need to escape cannot move a I single muscle toward escaping.
 1 Is there any morbif1c microbe as po- i tent or as sudden in action or as de- l structive in effect as this? But fear l has no microbes: it's cause cannot be i demonstrated by tho rnischoscope and sc 1 forsooth, it's injurious effects are ig- nored by health boards. There will ! be penalty for this false teaching as, sure as the rising of the next tide 1 Dr. King spoke truthfully and his words were prophetic. By the way ii 1 Is well to remind our citizens that 1 there Is work to do yet before we car 1 free our children from the Merica l Octopus and no better tirSe or place 1 than at the annual town meeting il 1 October to do 1t.
 A. W. DAVIS. Norwich. September 1. 1916.
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