Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-13
RELATION OF. GOOD ROADS
| ,:I0 HEALTH IN COUNTRY
-prived Of Medical Attention
by Poor Highways.
RESULTS FREQUENTLY SERIOUS
Death Rate Influenced to No Small
Degree by Isolation Caused by
.mpassable Conditions-lmprov
inentS Are ForeShadowcd.

=
The special attention OF members
OF the highways transport committee
s organization. and all others interested
In, the promotion of good roads and
ts.corollary. efficient highways trans
z portation is directed to the editorial
produced herewith. which appeared in
the Modern Medicine. IS East Wash
inEton Street, Chicago, recently. the
title OF the editorial being Good
Roads and Health"
This very pertinent, Informative and
helpful contribution 20 highways trans
por. literature appears under that sec
ton of Modern Medicine devoted 10 the
'Nations Health" which is in direct
charge of c. Il. a. Winslow. Pm. d.
The mana gns editor OF the puollcat ton
giving close attention to the relation
ofithe health OF the community 20 the
facilities for rapid and comforta bic
The editorial is as follows:
"There are fewer physicians in the
rural sections OF the country than in
the cities: there are very few nurses.
and practically no hospital facilities
in rural regions. In some communt-
ties even in the older states, there is
only one physician TO 1900 people and
many cases can be found where there
is only one physician 10 5000 pcoPie.
while the average for the cities IS
generally about one physician 10 ESQ
people.
Not Due to Better Health.
The inadequate supply of PHYSICIANS
in the country is not due TO the SUI
Just as much work needing to, be done
by the physician in rural as IN urban
sections. The reason is rather TO be
found in the lack OF mf iihout ei e stir
hartships 1t is becoming harder and
harder for the young medical graduate
to choose rural location wnere ne
tions for the greater part oil inc year.
After nine years OF training 1or ms
profession. there is spall appeal In the
prospect even of a good practice, whcn
the hardships of travel over the co9n.
try roads are taken into account, iet
hundreds of young medical graduates
would by inclination favor rural
practice il it were possible TO avoid
the unhap feauTes of country travel.
The problem is important to phEsl.
to- travei through mud to see their
nstients but, also. because it is quite
difficult, If not impossible TO trans
port patients needing special care, or
10 consult with specialists At a dis.
lance or TO counsel with other general
practitioners.
been serious The death rate of the
country districts is only slightly lower
than the city. and has not improved
as rapidly as in t me Si[y; me NE propoTe
ton Of young men physically unnt
for the army was nearly as sreal IN
spite OF the boasted physical proves
proved that higher percentage OF
durable defects is found among tuFai
children than among city chiioFeh'
Serious Phase of situation.
But theEe is worse c Sf Sn1nen ''i in
childbirth: is proportionately Srea'ef
in the country, and the number OF
! days after birth is far greater; Forty
per cent of all the babies that d!e IN
fheirlrst year in the cities h,, a'e WAN cnI
respending figure for he S Se9IHl yin es
ed,e1l care TSeS o9 Sei tSe Story that
..nearly every one knows-viz., that ade-
auate medical care is not available
Good roads would enable the, rural
sections to secure, nursing and spe-
! cialists' service, which are now prac-
/. public health work, visiting nursing
!, rural communities depends upon the
: development of good roads. 1t is quite
Impossible to provide such an,, ser, service
!. There is also looming up the posi-
sbilfty of q. rural hospital service with
! facilities for trans poTtatlo 10, ana
care in, community hospitals in which
I the facilities for diagnosis and care
would far exceed the meager pro-
visions of the home. The coming OF
good roads VIII hasten this develop
-ment -
:: = Factor In Milk. Supply.
- The city residents are concerned also
In the condition of rural roads from
1.-THE standpoint of health protection. be-
e-cause they are dependent upon good
sroads for fresh milk. large cities are
milk from remote rural re-
nEions. Bad roads delay It's delivery.
e-allowcd to accumulate for two or three
days before delivery from the farm.
often develop dangerously
Z IN the meantime. Good roads Will
--ema ncipate the cities from depending
upon existing clumsy means OF trans
--portation-