The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1917-01-12
FIGHTING DISEASE

that the government does not concern
itself with the loss from @preventable
disease is contained in the annual re-
port of the Surgeon General of the
Public Health Service submitted to
congress. Activities ranging from
the prevention and cure of blindness,
scientific studies of pellagra, the pro-
lection of the health of industrial
workers, the prevention of the intro
duction of typhus fever, Investigations
of child labor and health insurance, the
eradication of communicable diseases
and the control of the pollution of
navigable streams, are recorded and
demonstrate conclusively that the ma
tional government is vitality concerned
in the health of it's citizens.
The most striking achievement of
the year relates to pellagra, an afflic-
ton which in certain states destroys
more lives than tuberculosis. Pei
lagra is no longer a disease of mys-
terv as the Public Health Service has
clearly shown that it is caused by a
restricted diet and that it may be pre-
vented and cured by means of prop
erly balanced ration. The practical
application of this knowledge has al
ready resulted in a material reduction
in the prevalence of this affliction in
all parts of the country and it is con-
fdently believed that in another year
even more marked improvement will
be observed.
In the eradication of trachoma, a
contagious disease of the eyes fire.
quently terminating in blindness, such
marked success has been obtained that
the methods followed, the converting
of private residences into small hos
pitfalls and the holding of free open
air clinics, have been adopted by the
Egyptian government. During the
year LOO persons were operated
upon for the relief of partial or COM
plete blindness, nearly 1000 received
hospital treatment, while more than
10000 were treated at hospital dis
pensaries and clinics. When it is
realized that large proportion of
these people were doomed to years Of
suffering terminating in at least par
tial blindness and that they have been
restored to lives of usefulness, in some
instances ever being taken from our
ty poorhouses where they had been
public charges for the great portion
of their days, the Importance of this
most beneficent work can be mag
med. The total cost of this under
taking, including the ~remodeling OF
buildings and every expense in conrec-
ton with the feeding and care of pa
tients, was less than $4,000 for the
year.
Increased interest was shown by
the government in the health of rural
jewellers and congress has recognized
by making an appropriation for stud
les in rural sanitation, that the well
fare of the country resident is not to
De HtS1tclSu. IJlllllS lIc past
three years 1920 homes in Is diff
ferent counties of - states were Wis
tied and complete sanitary surveys
made Of the premises. In every in
stance definite recommendations were
given to remedy such evils as existed,
as for example the pollution of wells
the presence of disease bearing in
sects and the improper disposal OF
excreta. In addition. 22,234 homes
were revisited. mostly at the request
of the owners, in order that the gov
eminent agents could inspect the i'm.
provements instituted. Wherever thi:
method of bringing the lessons OF
sanitation directly to the rural dwell
Ter has been followed a marked reduc
ton has been observed in the preva
lence of typhoid fever, hookworm, ma
laria and other ~preventable diseases