Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-03-28
STATE PUBLIC HEALTH CAR

Since Tuesday the car sent out nv
the State Public Health Bureau has
been standing on tn l.. & r. track at
the station here, Just across the
street west of the Lewisburg Drug,
store. and has been visited by many.
The car Is nicely fitted up and car
rles great variety Of exhibits used
by the speakers, who are accompany
ing the car, in discussing and illus.
trating the various health problems
in which the Bureau is labor
ing 20 stimulate interest. These
exhibits. placards. etc. show
the origin of deadly germs, how
they are carried into our homes and
food while the speakers explain and
impress upon the people the accept
ed and proven methods of prevention
, and eradication. Along with the ex-
hibits and lectures motion pictures
ere shown Of a most interesting. i'm
pressive and instructive character.
which cannot fail to show to all who
see them the motive and the impor-
lance OF the great work the State
| Health Bureau is doing. We urge all
who can possibly do so to visit the
car. examine the exhibits. hear the
lectures and see the motion pictures,
for. you cannot fail to be interested,
highly entertained and most benef-
! cially instructed.
| To show the pressing Importance
! Of the great work the Bureau is do
; ing In the prevention and eradica-
tloI. Of common diseases which year
by year carry thousands, ii not mil
| lions. to untimely graves. we present
here what We acknowledge to bt
very imperfect report of an address
delivered in the Court House Tues
day evening by Mrs. DR.. Dillon sent
cut, as we understand, by the general
government and working just now
with our State Bureau. DR.. Dillon's
subject on the occasion was Child
Care. She spoke with deliberation
and great clearness marshalling, in
logical order, an array of startling
facts which could not fail to impress
every one who heard. She rivited
! the attention of her audience at the
start with the statement that the in
FAINT mortality rate in the United
States Is annually 100000. Yes,
she said, 100000 babies die in this
country every year before they reach
the first birthday and the still-born
babes number 100000, making a po-
tential loss in our citizenship of AGO.
600 annually, SO per cent of which
was preventable and could be pre-
vented with proper knowledge and
care. The remedy for this lament
able condition DR.. Dillon said, is
Health Education"
The infant mortality rate in Rus
STA is one babe in four dying within
Il year; in the United States one in
seven; in New Zealand one in twenty,
showing that the New Zealanders
have learned much better than we
have how TO take care Of babies.
A few years ago the death rate of
babes in New Zealand was one in SIX
They have effected this wonderful
change in the death rate from 1 in
to l in 20 through the systematic
work and instruction Of trained pub
lie health nurses and teachers. She
insisted that what New Zealand has
done we can do and must do.
DR.. Dillon noted the fact that in
this country we have good, of not
wholly adequate preparation for BUS
mess and professional life, but how
much preparation have we for home
making and proper care Of baby life
with all their weighty responsible
ies?-The greatest responsibilities of
life without the least preparation for
their assumption. and discharge!
Education, she said. should tit all
| the people for living and health edli-
cation is All essential part. the fCun-
cation for Il normal mental and NOR
ii development. She finds some pre-
paralion for home-making made in
the colleges and high schools of the
DAY. One per cent of our population
goes through the university, ten per
cent through the high school. How
about the other 90 per cent who re-
cieve grade school education only?
Tie recent military draft revealed
! the impressive fact that 80 per cent
Of our young men between the ages
of 20 and 80 years were physically
unfit for military service and this
would, no doubt. be true Of our
young women had the test been made.
Ninety per cent Of the defects reveal
ed in tn examination OF these young
men were preyentable or correctable
in early childhood. II we would pre-
vent a similar condition from exist
ing twenty years from now we must
begin preventative and corrective
measures with the children Of today.
DR.. Dillon announced that as u
means Of discovering defects and lack
| Of normal development early in the
child's life the Children's Bureau of
the United States Is asking and in