The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-08-08
HEALTH TALKS.
BY the County Health Officer

Inc HE OF the ndtlOn IMAM pnySfcal
degeneration. Permanent progress
IN the prevention of disease must
come teaching the principles of per-
sonal hygiene to children of school
age, thus depending upon the rising
generations to put into practice the
principles taught them in their
youth. We must introduce elemen-
tary biology. hygiene and sanitation
into the school curriculum, begin
ing with the lowest grade.
Government. schools, clergy. ply
sieians and the press are agencies
and forces which must be co-ordinat-
ed and intelligently directed if we
!, are to control hookworm disease as
an endemic disease, or at the very
east reduce the disease TO point
where it will not be factor in the re-
tardation of human progress that it
is at the present time.
Governments all over the world.
which are primarily organized for
Justice, should embody the basic
principle that the care Of public
health is an integral part of the gov
eminent duty. This thought pre-
supposes that governments will
place before their citizens a knowl
edge of the cause. transmission and
control of preventable disease.
Schools are the most natural and
effective medium through which to
lay the foundation for permanent
progress in disease prevention; and
in a matter 80 vital as the conserva-
ton of the health of nation, the
teaching of subjects applicable and
vital thereto should be made o5liga-
tory from the earliest grades.
Clerg., work of the clergy
has been a most important factor in
developing community life in many
waste places to its present fair stand.
There is no other force that comes
into more intimate contact with the
individual, and it is within the
clergy's power to make him look
upon the preservation of health as
a fundamental Christian duty. [
have many warm friends in the min
istry. / just naturally love the
preacher and always enjoy good
sermon from that matchess text:
Cleanliness is next to Godliness."
In this matter of disease we cannot
bathe in the Jordan river and be
cleansed, nor can we at this time of
the worlds history be permitted to
look at the brazen serpent and be
healed. but we may prevent most
diseases and cure many by employ
ing measures and means that honest
health officials and physicians are
always glad to give and explain to
US. The trouble is that many of the
older people cannot get away from
the ignorace and superstition of the
past and it is so hard to unlearn the
old mistaken ideas and take on the
new and more correct methods.
The physicians of Monroe county
in the past, working almost single
handed and alone have constantly
endeavored to elevate the Standards
of their communities. They have
advised through screening Of the
homes, draining and oiling of mos
quito breeding places. The build
ing of sanitary privies is measure
that all physicians known to be alb
solutely and they have been very
free to tell their friends that it is
unsafe to pollute the soil. With
the development of mutual coop
Grafton between the physicians and
the other community forces, an en-
ormous reduction in the rayages now
CdoScu Dy pfcNcutdDlc ulscdsc SIlOuiO
be brought about within compar-
.atively short time.
The press affords an unusual op.
= portunity for interesting the think
ng population in the fundamentals
a disease prevention by means Of
Timely articles and editorials. Pre-
g9ntative medicine has no better
friend than the press.
think the folks should take ty.
phoid vaccine more freely and not
wait until you have the disease in
your home. We have given the
vaccine to over five thousand people
within the last twelve months with.
ont single accidenI or untoward
incident Of any kind. We use fresh