Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-07-20

Lumsden at Chamber of Commerce
Last Night-Iirges Cooperation oi
All Citizens In Work.
Sanitation, Particularly From &
Business Standpoint" was the sub.
ject of an interesting address deliv-
cred by DR.. L. l.. Lumsden, of the
United States public health service
last night before large audience OF
men and women in the auditorium OF
the rooms of the Chamber of Com
merce.
DR.. Lumsden is here in connection
with the sanitary work being do e
under the direction of the State BoarC
Of Health.
A few years ago he said at a con-
ference of health officers some one
said: What is Sanitation?" Some
one replied "Hygiene." A committee
was appointed to bring in definition
and it reported as follows:
Sanitation is a common sense ap-
plication of the principals of cleanli-
ness"
A little girl once said sanitation
means getting things clean and keep
ing things Clean
Cleanliness, he declared, means
freedom from dirt. Dirt if allowed
to accumulate will result in breed
ing place for flies. There are, he said.
two kinds of dirt, harmless and dang
arous dirt The most dangerous is that
discharged from the bodies of human
beings and all communicable diseases
qre caused by dangerous dirt, he de-
,lared.
Dr.. Lumsden then told of the causes
Of different diseases such as smallpox,
tuberculosis. Some ore. he said, once
asked How about kissinG?" and he
said he replied. IF it adds to your
happiness you can afford to take
chance"
Diseases. he said are not very
prevalent in this community. Owing
% the large number of strangers COM
ng here, he said, things will have to
oe done differently and we must ar
-ange to meet changed conditions.
The best way to get rid of ma.
laria, Dr. Lumsden declared, is to get
i'd of mosquitoes and breeding places
for them.
in his talk about typhoid he said
sanitation looms up as war business
and big business. We cannot send
)ur boys away unless they are well.
, The best thing to do is TO take
means to prevent people from get
ting sick by taking the necessary
measures. Human dirt, he declared. is
he only source of disease and he add
I'd that we permit 100000 babies to
ne killed annually by the filth allowed
% be scattered around.
The success of'the' work depends
largely on The people and he said it
must be done by the people.
rr Iumsden then outlined condi-
':ions here The typhoid rate here was
iorty-five to the average 100000 popu
ation according to records of recent
wears. There is nothing to be done
mere that is not feasible, and he added
t was within the power of the peo-
o,e TO rid the city of typhoid by
long the things necessary. Typhoid
AN he gotten down TO such a low
ate that merchants can advertise it
on tl,eil. letter heads.
Regarding his investigation here he
said he did not believe in gum-shoe
methods. The people ought to know.
Dr.. T.umsden then told of his investi-
CATION of the fifty-two cases of ty-
phoid here and Of what ne found fol-
lowing q minute examination. His
story about the water supply of the
city was practically the same as he
tcld city council. He said ne believed
before long recommendations can be
made that the ban be lifted prohibit
ing soldiers from eating or drinking
here. but added. 1--WE must be salts
fed the water supply is safe
The speaker told his audience not
to work on the theory 'that what we
don't know won't hurt US He urged
the cooperation of all, especially the
doctors, and said he believed .Alexan.
lria will take her place among cities
with high standards OF sanitation.
Robert l.. Payne. president of the
Chamber of Commerce. presided
NISc RE\SFJ DIES AT THE