Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1919-01-24

the total loss of life from the fifth
to the fortieth year, leaves 349
lives after the toll to the fortieth
year has been taken 1919 deaths
for 1917 has yet to be taken, and
after this has been removed, a net
balance of $50 lives remain for the
year.
You will please note that in this
tabulation no epidemic, such as we
have undergone from influenza dur
ing 1918, has to be accounted for.
1917 represents the usual death rate
only, Does not net balance Of $50
lives in population of $4,000, as
a human sinking fund, seem rather
low to take care of emergencies?
tuberculosis, like typhoid fever,
the diarrhoeas, enteritis, hookworm,
and all other soil-borne diseases are
preventable. Soil-borne infection can
be eradicated by doing away with
soil pollution by means of sanitary
privies and other preventive meas
ures that are within our reach.
Who of our boys in the army or navy
have had typhoid or yellow fever?
They are few and far between. And
if our government can Danish these
diseases from camps at home and
abroad, there is no reason why we
should not eradicate them from our
homes. You may say it will cost
money to do that. So it will, but it
will not cost one-tenth part of what
it is costing this county each year
from only two diseases.
Referring to the 1917 statistics,
20 deaths occurred from typhoid
fever and 33 from enteritis (summer
complaint), in children under two
years old. The U. S. statistics show
that Is cases of the disease occurs
for each death of typhoid fever;
that each death represents an eco
nomic loss of 700; each case 5000.
But to be on the side of extreme
conservation, let US say that we had
only ten cases for each death. Then
20 deaths would equal 200 cases,
and 20 deaths at $500, equals $14,-
900; 200 cases at 5000, equals $4O,-
900, total of $4,000.
One death from enteritis equals
eight cases; each death an economic
loss of only 5000, and each case $50.
Then 33 deaths equal $4,000; 264
cases, $4,000, a total of $4,000
for enteritis, and grand total for
two prevenable diseases in 1917, of
$73,8OO-a per capita of $3.50 per
person, based on $4,000 population.
The cost of the sanitary work in
the county at present is at a per
capita cost of 1.3 cents per quar-
ter, per person. Twenty cents per
person would with state co-opera-
ton, sanitate the entire county.
Hence an outlay of $4,000, supple
mented with like amount by the
state, would prevent the loss of
$73,800 yearly Is it a good invest
ment? 1t represents an outlay of
20 cents per person and prevents an
an annual loss of $3.50 per person.
Or shall we lose sight of a cold
blooded money consideration, and
say that we would save So lives and
AGA cases of illness at our homes?
Statistics in Maury county for the
year 1916 show that in Columbia
and Mt. Pleasant there were eight
deaths from typhoid fever. In the
rest of the county there were ten.
In 1917 the two cities had nine
deaths, while the rural sections had
only six. One more death occurred
in the cities in 1917 (where no work
was done) than during the year pre-
vious, while there were four less in
the rural sections. The amount ex-
pended on sanitation work up to that
time was $500. To summarize, the
loss of four lives, 40 cases of illness,
and expenditures of $4,000 were
prevented.
Respectfully submitted,
L. A. LEDF0RD, M. D.,