Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-11-26
KEEP THE FARMER WELL
A Fitting Slogan Of The Present Day.

A Fitting Slogan Of The Present Day.
1t has been stated that the supreme
need OF the nation during the coming
! months is an abundance of foodstuffs
The truth OF this statement is being
more and more brought home TO
every citizen as the days go by. the
constantly increasing prices of food
materials constituting reliable evil
oence that the situation is becoming
acute. One reason for this is the
scarcity of labor in our rich agricul-
tural sections, a condition which can
not be altogether relieved Another
reason. and one which is frequently
overlooked, is the lack OF efficiency in
the present day worker, particularly
when due to disease. 1t is estimated
that per cent of the population of
certain sections suffer from malaria,
disease which lessons production
and results in serious economic loss.
Keep the farmer we'll" should be a
fitting slogan of the present day.
There never was time when produc-
ton was in such need of stimulation
and when able-bodied men and wom-
en- were in such demand Every case
of malaria. typhoid fever or other
efficiency reducing disease among the
productive population means that the
output of food is appreciably reduced
and that the shortage is measurably
increased. A large part of the lands
~, he x.sa .P
and to a less extent in the North as
well, is today partially or wholly un-
productive on account of being over
run with malaria, with a consequent
loss of millions of dollars. 1t is en-
tirely feasible to reclaim these lands
and thus increase the nations output.
In certain areas the working ability
of the population has been so affected
by this disease that not only is there
shortage of growing crops but also
of lumber, cotton and other manufac-
tured goods. The moving of agricul-
tural and manufacturing hands into
these districts would not materially
improve the situation as the newcom-
ers would suffer a loss of efficiency
fully as great as that of the older resi-
dents. However, if co-ordinated, in
telligent and we'll directed effort is
instituted this serious economic handi-
cap under which we are laboring can
be easily overcome. Already exam
pies of individual accomplishment
along this line are plentiful
At Crossett, Ark, town of 1000
people, the United States Public
Health Service working in co-opera-
ton with the International Health
Board in one season reduced the in
cidence of malaria by over so per
cent. The cost of the work was S123
per person, less than what one would
have paid for single visit of
physician; this, too, in one of the
worst malarious districts OF the coun-
try. At Lake Village, Ark, the an
nual losses sustained by people pro-
tected against malaria averaged but
% cents per family, as reckoned from
money expended for physicians and
medicine and absence from work on
account of sickness. In the same town
the neighbors of these citizens who
employed no control measures against
the disease sustained an annual loss
of $11.21 per family, to say nothing of
the economic loss resulting from de-
creased efficiency. One of the pro-
gressive railroads west of the Mis-
sissippi River foresaw this problem.
and appropriated funds to keep its en-
ployees free from malaria in order to
maintain its working force at the top
notch of efficiency. The State of Mis-
sissippi has also inaugurated active
steps which will lead to an increased
output from each farm and other eff
forts along similar lines are being
made.
If this same active interest in
malarial control can be extended gen.
orally this disease, which has been a
severe handicap to the development of
certain regions, can be checked and
bumper crops produced. Tremendous
opportunities in this regard are open
to declarations of women's clubs, cham
bers Of commerce, civic leagues and
farmers organizations, and all such
effort will be repaid. a hundred fold
The principles governing malarial
eradication are inexpensive, easy of
application and easily understood by
any citizen of average intelligence.
So important does the government
consider this work, particularly in
view of the necessity of cultivating
every foot of ground during the COM
ing year, that steps have been taken
to have the Public Health Service pre-
pare and distribute directions as to
how it may be accomplished. Any
farmer who is even remotely interest
ed in the problem can write to the
government and obtain this informa-
tior eroo of obar0a