The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1919-12-31

essee State Board of Healthy
Blount county within recent years
has been brought into the limelight
by reason of certain great industrial
developments which seem to have
been established on permanent
basis and which also seem to be
destined to undergo wide expansion
and growth. The county has been
most favorably advertised, too,
through very convincing demonstra-
tions of it's agricultural possibilities
and because of the abundance of its
natural resources with which muni-
fcent Providence has blessed it's hills
and valleys. In addition to all these
things which have served to bring
Blount county to the favorable
notice of the world, of more signi-
t;cance and Importance is the fact
that the county has a large native
horn population which has always
given evidence of strength of mind
and character, which, under favor
|
able conditions, has ever enabled the
sons and daughters of old Blount
to take their places with the leaders
in all of the various fields of endeavor,
in, which men and women are called
upon to serve.
But with all the praiseworthy facts
that have been developed, and with
( Il the favorable advertising that
Dlount county has justly received,
there are also certain adverse facts
which have resulted in unfavorable
advertising of the county, and which
have operated powerfully to the dis
advantage of her people and which, if
4 allowed to go uncorrected, must con-
sinue to operate toward the retarda-
tion of her progress and success.
These are facts pertaining to the
health and to the preservation of the
lives of Bloun county's people.
In the year 1918, TAP babies were
born alive in Blount county and in
that year SO babies less than one
year old are known to have died, and
in the first nine months of 1919, 81
such infants are known to have died.
Twenty babies less than two years
died in that year from one largely
preventable disease Summer Com
plant and during the first nine
months of 1919 there were II babies
under two years old who died from
this cause. Fifty one deaths from
tuberculosis were recorded in Blount
county in 1918, and that means that
there were more than 500 cases of
that life-destroying disease in the
county. Typhoid fever has Ions
been a curse in Blount county, while
hookworm disease, which is spread ir
much the same way, has long been
responsible for tremendous destruc-
tion of efficiency among the young
people. The loss of life from these
causes and others which might be
named can be largely prevented and
the efficiency of the whole people of
the county can be greatly increased
and preserved through the applica-
tion in the homes and schools of
Blount county of simple measures
which have been proved effective in
controlling communicable disease.
The worst advertisement that car
be given community or a county is
high death rate from preventable
disease. The best advertising a COM
munity or county can possibly
secure is through the announcement
of the fact that the conservation of
health and life is made the first thing
of Importance. Rich soil and splendid
resources of mines, and forests, and
water power are greatly to be desired
and go far to make for wealth and
prosperity, but their proper develop
ment and utilization depend upon
having strong men, mentally and
physically ctrong, whose labor must
bring the hidden latent resources to
the surface and turn them into use
full commodities.
Good Work Doro
Because Of the high death rates
which have obtained for certain
diseases in Blount county, and be-
cause of the continued prevalence of
typhoid fever and other preyentable
disease, and, finally, because Of the
tremendous industrial development
which has lately taken place in the
county, the State Board of Health
selected Blount as one Of the countie
in East Tennessee in which to under
takek an intensive campaign for bet
ter health protection. This cam
paign has been begun, having been