The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-24
Sickness and Society
nv "a. ADDrNcroN BRUCE
Author OF The Riddle OF Person
ality," Psychology and
PArenthood." etc.

Today I want To put before you a
little sermon by a DISTINGUISHED med
icaf man. Or Alexander Lambert. OF
New York. II Was not delivered by
DIR. Lambert as a sermon. but as
part OF medical discussion OF the
important subject OF compulsory
health insurance.
II has all the qualities. however.
OF really good sermon. appealing
TO intellect. conscience and heart
And IL sums up admirably facts
which evory one OF US should keenly
appreciate. but To which few OF US
give anything like adequate thought
Here are Or. IAmbert's words.
which urge you To ponder
earnestly:
sickness in this country Is still
looked on rs a personal misfortune
The social conscience has not vet
realized that sickness Is an economic
calamity for which all members OF
the community are responsible In
varying degree. and for which the
whole community pays
1T bears, OF course. most hardly
on the individual who suffers the
calamity. but the sickness OF com.
munity reduces les economic income.
since II diminlshes the earning pow.
or OF each individual who suffers.
The greatest economic asset that
workman possesses Is the health
that enables him 10 go TO work each
day. II he loses that he loses bis
power OF earning living.
Most wage earners live on a wage
from which they can store up but
little TO protect them against indi-
vidual misfortune The great mis-
fortune OF their poverty Is not that
they are poor. but that when calam.
ity or misfortune befalls them their
poverty changes to destitution. and
they must suffer the restitution or
turn 20 public charity for aid.
N. then. II II possible 20 develop
health insurance scheme in which
sickness Is regarded as a calamity
that may befaIl any one. and In
which every one has Joined together
&c sustain and aid those Who are
temporarily stricken. the dire effects
Of sickness TO the family or 90 the
individual are warded OF. poverty
ceases 20 turn into restitution. and
proper convaiescence Is possible 20
the sick individual that he may 70
gain his health and BE- again OF
value equal 10 his former value az
an economic asset 10 the commun-
lily.
This is the justification from a
social point Of view for the changes
from the economic conditions under
which We live 10 those which a com.
pulsory health insurance scheme
would bring about in a community"
DR. Lambert. you will observe.
pleads here specifically In the inter.
est OF health insurance. But what
he says has a vastly wider applica-
ton than that
II applies 10 every well-considere
movement that has as object. not
merely the overcoming Of the effects
OF sickness. but also the prevention
OF sickness. Every movement OF
this sort should have the hearty sup
port OF all. because in the last analy
sis II Is for the good OF all
Think % this in connection with
the health work now being done In
your own community Think OF II
particularly in connection with tho
regulations laid down 20 prevent tho
spread OF infectious and contagious
diseases
You owe II 10 your fellow citizens
10 obey faithfully these regulations
&: you happen 10 be afflicted BY any
disease that might. thru careless
ness. be conveyed Go others You
owe II 10 your fellow-citizens 20 co
operate In making sure that Others
thus diseased obey the regulations.
Also " IL a social duty FOR you @
live hyEienically IN order that you
Yourself may keep well Remember
always that sickness is indeed more
than personal misfortune. ~
strikes directly a. the root OF social
| efficiency and wsllbeing