The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-09
Hours Is Record
STATE PAYS HUGE
SUM YEARLY FOR NEED
LESS ILLNESS
Improperly Constructed Surface CLOS
cts Cause Typhoid Fever and
Intestinal Diseases
Board of Health Bulletin.o

| Board of Health builellH'
Part of the estimated price paid by
Florida annually for intestinal dis
eases originating from Improperly
constructed surface closets and priv
lies reached somewhere near $685.
25O.OO.
The death rate from these diseases
in the United States every year is 81
persons per 100000 population. Flor
ida's death rate from the same cause
annually totals 175 persons for each
100000 of her population.
As a means of combating this high
cost and death rate, the new State
Board of Health is preparing a publi-
cation which discusses the various
types of privies approved to reduce
this menace and gives instructions
how to design and build sanitary and
safe closets at the least possible cost.
Issuance of this booklet is an i'm
portant step in the Intensive Sanitary
Campaign which has been launched
and bids fair to be the means of max
ing the health department more vi
tai factor in the eradication of pre-
ventable diseases.
The principal diseases coming from
surface closets are such intentinal
complaints as typhoid fever, amoebic
dysentery. enteritis. colitis and hook
worms. The latter malady is con
tracted through ground itch; and am
ocbic dysentcry through food con
taminated by sewerage or human
excreta. All of the others are trans
mittcd by flies.
Any surface closet is sanitary when
it is odorless and fly-proof. Foul
odors do not cause sickness-man
lives as long while working in fer
tilizer factory as he does while EN-
ployed in a perfumery-but foul
odors, in connection with surface
closets mean that they are not prop
erly cared for. The privy. on the
other hand, may be absolutely odor.
less, and yet flies having easy access
to it will be the agency for spreading
diseases
With the proper disposal of human
waste, nearly all of the 175 deaths
that occur every year among each
100000 of Florida's population would
be prevented. The odorless, fyless
surface closet is the only means of
accomplishing this reduction.
AT the present death rate there are
ABOUT 1,75O persons who die in Flor
ida every year from these intestinal
diseases. This is about S75 more
deaths than this state would have. II
1t succeeded in doing as well as the
remainder of the United States. whose
rate is one more than half that of
About ten persons get sick from in.
testinal complaints in Florida where
one dies. This means that a total of
Sou persons are needlessly i'll dur
ing every twelve months.
II the average duration of sickness
lor each person affected is three
weeks, there are 26,25O week of need.
less illness every year.
II the average doctors bill for
Ihese $3.50 cases is $1,000 per patient
me physicians cost alone is sS7 5oo
IL the medicines used in treatment
costs 81. per persons, s17.5Oo annu.
ally goes for needless drugeist.s
bills.
II 'he loss of time is averaged at
'lo' Tor each persons. another sS7 900
may be added to the cost
II funeral expenses of the S75 who
lie are estimated at $50. each. tho
'ost OF burials reaches s43.75O.
Hence 1t may be estimated that
otal sum of s236,25O is paid ont ev
Try Twelve months in Florida as an
litermath of human disease causa
winch could be prevented or reduoad