The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-02-13
RICKETS.

We do not know OF any bacterial or
chemical causes f6r ricketts,. but we do
know that certain c~ontributory causes
are prominent In the history Of the
disease. A very large percentage OF
the negro children are affected with
ricketts,. The New York city health
department has sought to- overcome
this by guaranteeing that every child
in a certain district gets q daily allow
ance Of cod liver oil.
AS valuable as that procedure Is, 1t
will not entirely relieve h situation II
we are to credit "a report which re-
Gently appeared in the British Medical
Journal. According to that report, bet
ter housing is a necessity as much or
even more needed than fats.
The report says hat 80 per cent OF
the chilren Of the poorer classes In
Glasgow had ricketts,. The disease
usually appeared in the late winter and
spring in children between Q and IL
months Of age.
First let US mention some Of thec cir
cumstances that did not seem to aus
the disease. The duration of breast
feeding was not proved to have any
relation to the evidence Of the disease;
the age at which artificial feeding was
commenced appeared to be Of little
moment, and diets of the rickety and
nonrickety families showed no signifi-
cant difference in energy values or
protein content. The evidence was
agaist a deficiency of milk or butter
or the fat soluble "A"-substance be-
ing a determining factor.
And now let us consider the positive
as distinguished from the negative
findings. Inadequate air and exercise
seemed to be potent factors In deter
mining the onset of the disease. The
largest single factor seemed to be the
actual condition OF the home as to sum
light, air. crowding. cleanliness and
general sanitation. The average num-
Der Of persons living in a room vas a
factor. The number OF cubic feet of
air space was another factor. Clean
hness Of the house was another factor.
The, disease was more frequently
found among people who lived In dark
rooms and in houses that were set too
close to each other.
In the discussion of the report Drs.
Patton and Findlayr conclude: What
eve the true cause Of rickets--im-
proper housing, absence OF facilities for
open air Ire, and imperfect parental
care favor the onset OF the disease. and
by improving the housing conditions
the disappearance Of the disease would
be brought about.
The same humber OF the British Med
ical Journal contains an editorial on a
recent speech by Lloyd George. The
prime minister was at that time a
candidate for reelection, but nobody
In the year 1919 is rash enough to say
that Lloyd George elected forgets the
promlses--or threats-made by Lloyd
George the candidate. Three hundred
thousand new houses are needed in
Great Britain, and the outlook is that
the government will build them. They
are disposed to despair OF any proper
housing so long as building and owner-
ship is left to individuals, and Great
Britain must have better housing.
Lloyd George said: You cannot sweep
away slums with paper, and cannot
cope with the wants Of the people with
red tape" And next in Importance to
housing, he said, Is "a more intelligent
organization Of the forces which have
special charge Of tie health Of the ma
tion-national. municipal and medi.
rail- ~