The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-12-26
HEALTH TALKS.
BY the County Health Officer
MEN OR CATTLE

Editorial from the News and Oh
server. Raleigh, N. c., October 3,
1919.
The United States Department
of Agriculture notes that it has re-
ceiyed telegram from Clay Coun-
ty, Mississippi, which reads: Elec-
ton Clay County favors tuberculosis
eradication. That looked rather
unique until reading further down
was the explanation that it was
cattle instead of men that the eradi-
cation applies to. Clay County is
going to save the cattle. The
human victim of tuberculosis can
fight it out for himself.
North Carolina is working on
both problems. In a way the con-
troll of human tuberculosis is re-
ceiying advanced attention. Yet
we are not doing as much for our
people as the Mississippi county is
doing for its cattle. Is not that a
remarkable situation? A whole
county will unite under the authority
of the law to lsuppress tuberculosis
in cattle. But when it comes to
men we lose interest. You see,
good cow is worth more than
hundred dollars. A good man has
no cash value.
No. that is not the situation at
all. Our whole trouble is that we
follow the bell wether, like a flock
of sheep. We establish Depart
ment OF Agriculture in the State
and in the Nation. and we tell the
department to get results. They
see the folly of allowing disease
among the livestock. and they en-
list the people in the movement to
stop it. But we have not been bold
enough yet to have a secretary of
health in the Presidents cabinet, so
health jogs along as few enthusi-
astic individuals can drive it, and
we pay no attention to the man
who gets tuberculosis and dies.
Some day man will be rated
as high as COW. Tnen we will
vote on whether to haye tuberculosis
among the people of the county as
we'll as vote for the cattle. and when
we get one county started we will
have the whole job on the way to
salvation. If we would turn DIR.
McBrayer loose tomorrow on tuber-
culosis and give him the money and
authority he would wipe the thing
out in county or in the State.
Unfortunately he is working for
people, not cattle. and his hands
are ted
My attention was recently called
to the aboye very able editorial of
October 3rd on telegram sent from
Clay County. this State. in which
the editor of the News and Obser-
yer leaves the impression that our
beloved State of Mississippr after
Kidding her cattle of ticks will eradi-
cate tuberculosis. but is unwilling
and neglecting to do so among her
people. In behalf of Mississippi's
people, l wish to state that Cover
nor-elect Lee M. Russell and Hon.
Oscar G. Johnson, the leading cam
didates of four contestants, pledged
themselves in every campaign
speech from Alabama across to the
Father. of Waters. and from the
Tennessee line to the Mexican Gulf,
that if elected they would do every
thing possible for the Public Health
of Mississippi and especially for
Rural Health work. Mr.. Russell
was elected and will faithfully
carry on. We believe Mr.. John
son would have done the same had
he been elected. We have Senate
and House Of Representatives
equally pledged. and quite few Of
them are enthusiastic. Mississippi
will do as much or more during the
coming four years than anv other
State in the Union in educating the
people in the prevention Of diseases
and fighting the diseases that are
preventable. At the same time our
laboratory workers will burn the
midnight oil ID research work, del