The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-24
Sickness and Society
Author OF The Riddle OF Person
nllty," Psychology and
Parenthood." etc.

Today ! want TO put before you a
little sermon BY a distinguished med
ical man. Dr. Alexander Lambert. OF
New York II was not delivered by
DIR. Lambert as q sermon. but as
part OF a medical discussion OF the
important subject OF compulsory
health insurance.
IL has all the qualities. however.
OF really good sermon. appealing
10 intellect. conscience and heart.
And II sums up admirably facts
which every one OF us should keenly
appreciate. but 10 which few OF Us
give anything like adequate thought.
Here are Dr. IAmbert's words.
which urge you TO ponder
earnestly:
sickness in this country Is still
! looked on a. a personal misfortune.
The social conscience has not yet
realized that sickness IL an economic
calamity for which all members OF
the community are responsible In
varying degree. and for which the
SHott community pays
1t bears. Of course. most hardly
on the individual who suffers the
calamity. but the sickness OF a com
munity reduces is economic income.
since II dimlnishes the earning pow.
or OF each individual who suffers.
THE greatest economic asset that
a workman possesses IS the health
that enables him 10 90 10 work each
day II he loses that he loses his
power OF earning a living.
Most wage earners live on a wage
from which they can store up but
little TO protect them against indi-
vidral misfortune. Tho great mis-.
fortune OF their poverty f. not that
they are poor. but that when calam-
ity or misfortune befalls them their
poverty changes 10 destitution. and
they must suffer the dsstitutlon or
turn 10 public charity Tor aid
~, then. Il Is possible 20 develop
a health Insurance scheme in which
sickness Is regarded az a calamity
that may befall any one. and In
which every one has Joined together
&c sustain AMI aid those who arr
temporarily stricken. the dire effects
81 sickness 20 The family or 20 the
individual are warded OF. poverty
ceases 20 turn into destitGtion. ana
proper conyalesceuce is possible 20
the sick individual that he may 70
gain HIS health and be again Of
value equal 90 his former value az
an economic asset 10 the cOmmun.
i,y.
This f. the Justification from a
social point % view for the changes
from the economic conditions under
which We live 20 those which a com.
pulsory health insurance scheme
would bring about in community"
Dr Lambert. you will observe.
pleads here specifically In The inter
est OF health insurance But what
be saws has vastly wider appllca
ton than that
n applies 20 every well-considercd
movement that has "a object. not
merely the overcoming OF the effects
~ sickness. but also tho prevention
o. sickness. Every movement o!
this sort should have tho hearty sur
port OF an. because in the last analy
sis II Is for The good OF all
Think % this In connection with
the health work nov being done IN
your own community Think % 70
particularly In connection with the
regulations laid down 20 prevent the
spread OF infectious and contagious
diseases
You owe II 10 your fellow citizens
20 obey faithfully these regulations
&; You happen 10 be afflicted by any
disease that might. thru careless.
ness. be conveyed 20 others You
owe n 20 your fellow-citizens TOGO
operate In making sure that Others
thus diseased obey the regulations
Also II r. a social duty for you 10
I've hygienlcally In order that you
Yourself may keep well Remember
always that sickness r. indeed NOR,
than personal misfortune II
strikes directly az the root of social
efficiency and weltbeing.