The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-07
PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN.
Meeting for Better Sanitation and a
Healthier People ut Providence.

ScQOO4, 4flVdleeT tOWISAlp, -NoiAoeHS'
and was very pleasant and success
ful affair.
Mr.. Arthur Mackmahon. chief of
the State Section Bureau of the
Council of National Defense, of Wash
ington was the special honor guest
and delivered an inspiring educa-
tional address on the topics OF food
production, conservation and economy,
and conservation of the public health
to win the war.
Mr.. Mackmahon proved to be an
exceptionally forceful and fluent
speaker, especially we'll versed on the
important issues involved in organ
ization and community effort, and he
pointed out in convincing manner the
especial importance of farmers TAX
ing every possible step to put their
premises in sanitary shape by clean
ing out their stables to avoid breed
ing places for flies, and showed the
further importance of screening
houses to keep out flies and mos
quitoes which spread typhoid fever,
tuberculosis. dysentery, malaria and
other preventible diseases. He
stressed the Importance of education
al campaigns to show the masses or
the people how to avoid commune
cable diseases by proper sanitary con-
ditions, and said that of all times the
next two years would prove the most
timely to conduct as often as pos
sible rural health improvement edu-
cational campaigns in the pubic
schools, and by inspection Of prem
ises by expert and trained saHitarlans
who are capable of teaching person
al and public hygiene. and instruct
ing not only the pupils and the par
Ients, but incidentally teaching the
teachers how 70 teach the elemen-
tary principles of hygiene in the
schools. The United States govern
ment has requested these things, and
we owe it to our cuntry, and to the
increasing of the productive ability OF
our government, and we will be also
saving hundreds of lives uselessly sac
rifced through ignorance. selflshness
Indifference and false ideas OF econ
omy in saving money by neglectlns
safeguards while at the same time
wasting more money by useless sick
ness, suffering, loss of valuable time
and earning power, doctors and drug
gists' bills, ETC., much Of which can
be avoided, as well as useless prema-
ture deaths by sane methods.
Cooperation between the country
authorities, the legislative delegation
and the people, and cooperation be-
tween city and country, especially the
organized incorporated cities helping
the practically unorganized rural dis
trictS through the commercial or
gaaizations, and councils of defense
to hurriedly organize the rural dis
tricts were emphasized by Mr.. Mack
mahon.
He concluded with a very compli-
mentaTy tribute to the splendid Or
sgaMzatian Of Sumter county through
the Council of Defense and Chamber
of Commerce, in war work, and re-
,ferred to the efficient manner I'M
which the colored people Of this
county had been organized to cooper
ate with their white fellow citizens in
Liberty Loan, Red Cross, War Savings.
food production and conservation.
and all other requests of the national
government.
He said that in the States section
bureau which looks after the State
and county councils of defense Or
ganizationS in forty-eight States,
they frequently compared notes as to
patriotism, efficiency in organization,
and results obtained, and he was glad
to be able to come down here and say
that no county in the United States
stands higher or is more frequently
referred to as typical and patclotlc,
well organized, and loyal than Sum-
ter county, South Carolina Mr..
Mackmahon was the guest of the hos
pitable people Of Privateer township
at a. sumptuous picnic dinner which
he with all others very much enjoyed.
He was introduced by Chairman A.
e.. Phelps of the County Council Of
Defense, who made a short but pa
triotic address and appeal for county
wide cooperation in the public health
campaign.
a Mr.. Mackmahon was followed by
Mr.. p. G. Bowman in a talk on hy-
giene and an endorsement Of Mr..
rural districts should get busy carry
ing out the requests Of the national
government. Mr.. Bowman proved
that he was an apt pupil Of the pub
lie health institute in Columbia and
imbibed much of the sanitary science
during his two day course of instruc-
ton.
Mrs. Nina Solomons, Chairman Of
the Woman's Committee of the Coun-
ty Council of Defense made an inter
esting and instructive talk regarding
the plan for enlisting nurses and en-
planned the methods Of the govern
ment and training schools for such
volunteer nurses. She pleaded for
volunteers from Privateer township
She showed intimate knowledge o.
the subject.
Mr.. E. I. Reardon was the last talk
er, but very plain one. regarding
the neglect of the families of farm
ers and the menace to them OF un-
necessary communicable diseases and
far