The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-30

ernments have neither the funds nor
the scientific equipment to cope with
them Education and leadership are
the prime requisites, and the service
has a machinery perfected by exper-
fence for supplying these The news
papers of Little Rock were readily
enlisted in the cause; every organ
iZation in these communities was adj
dressed, including the Rotary club.
the town councils, the Lions Club"
the colored Chautauqua, the dairy
mems organization; and speeches on
the subject of health and sanitation
were delivered in every moving pic
ture house In store windows were
exhibited large models of the adult
and larval forms of the Anopheles
mosquito. Twenty thousand circulars
of sanitary advice were printed and
distributed to every house. Real
estate agents co-operated by sending
out similar circulars with bills and
receipts for rent. Every citizen was
confronted a dozen times day with
the stern facts about IAnopheles and
his depreda atoms. Thousands of per-
sons who had regarded the mosquito
merely as a mild nuisance came to
know him as a deadly scourge.
Externin: ting the Mosquito.
Such educational campaigns have
been conducted before by the public
health service with excellent results,
but it now had the authority and
funds to undertake the actual work
of sanitation upon its own initiative.
Pools and puddles were drained and
covered with oil, and where neither
of these methods was practica BILE, top
minnows were introduced to devour
the mosquito larvae.
Equally thoro methods We're adopt
ed with regard to typhoid fever. Not
only were the facts and dangers ex-
planned by lectures and exhibits, but
free vaccination against this disease
and smallpox were offered to the pub
lie, and great mum berS availed them
selves of the offer. The dairymen
were called in convention and told
what they must do to make their es-
Establishments sanitary. They complied
with alacrity.
The numerous small stands which
had been erected for the sale of food
and soft drinks were inspected and
given the choice of complying with
the requirements of sanitation or of
ceasing business. In the rural dis
tricts, all premises were surveyed,
and instructions given for the install
lation of proper outhouses. Water
supplies were analyZed and infected
wells placarded until the owners had
put them in sanitary condition. Vac
cine was carried on all of these
rounds and everyone urged to accept
free vaccination. The report for one
week of work shows that 265 homes
were visited, IS schools, stores and
8 churches; 442 people were vacci-
mated against smallpox and 3,0S7
against typhoid. City homes were
surveyed with no less care than those
in the country, and the urban work
was aided by the town councils
which passed new sanitary laws at
the suggestion of the federal agents.
The raising of funds for this work
h
cross, which has eSta blished sanitary
units a each of the extra cantonment
zones under the direction of the Off
GERS in charge of the public health
service activities at these points.
OF special scientific interest in this
campaign are the morbidity reports,
or studies of the distribution and &C.
currence of disease. 1t has always
been one of the functions of the pub
lie health service to gather such in
formation, but in this emergency a
special intensive study of morbidity
was deemed necessary. Accordingly
model areas were designated. and all
sickness carefully noted by co-opera-
ton with doctors and undertakers.
The practical value of this work was
early demonstrated. 1t was reported,
for example, that in one city from
which $50 drafted men were about to
depart for cantonment in q neigh
boring state, an epidemic of typhoid
had broken out. There were two
cases among the drafted men. Here
was a center of infection from which
potential carriers were about to travel
thru the country and enter the army.
Prompt action was necessary. One
of the two new laboratory cars of the
public health service was dispatched
to the point, the possible sources of
infection were investigated; and all
of the drafted men were vaccinated
against typhoid.
The same vigorous measures en-
ployed in this instance and at Little
Rock, are going forward in the vicin-
ity of every camp and cantonment.
The health of the fighting man is
being conserved and insured as never
before. But far more significant is
the fact that the health of the civilian
is also recognized as an asset of para
mount importance to the national
government, which it must conserve.
Questions on the above or any sub
ject upon which the reader desires in
formation, should be addressed the To-
peka State Journal Informa ton Bu-
reau, Frederic u. Haskin. Director
Washington, D. c., with a 2-cent
stamp enclosed for reply.