Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-12

the federal government, and DR.. E. L. Fisk
director of the Life Extension institute.
The American Medical Assertion is pro-
noting this research work. At it's recent con-
ventiOn in Atlantic City, resolution was
adopted asking congress to appropriate
$1,5O0,00O to stimulate and encourage re-
search work. This suggestion was acted upon
the other day, when Representative Fess, OF
Ohio, introduced resolution in congress for
the appropriation of that amount. The
money is to be turned over to the United
States public health service to be used for
cooperation in the research work that is be-
ing carried on by the various state health de-
partments
Not only are the medical men Of the coun-
try preparing for a reappearance Of the dis
ease but civic organizations in different COM
munites which undertook to care for the
numerous victims of the epidemic year ago.
are also making plans against recurrence OF
the malady. These organizations do not in
tend to be caught off their guard in the event
of another outbreak, and in a number of
towns throughout the United States special
committees have been appointed to make
preparations for just such an emergency.
During the epidemic year ago, many thou-
sands of people died solely for want OF care.
In his letter to Congressman Fess urging
the federal appropriation, Dr. Geier gives
some impressive facts about the Hu tie says
it caused half million deaths in this country
last year, and that it cost the insurance com
panies $240, 100000.
The economic loss to the country he says,
is hard to estimate, but it is enormous. Econ
omists agree that a human life is worth at
least $4,000 to the state, so that the monetary
value of the lives lost alone would be about
$4,000, 100000. Add to this the working
time lost by people who were sick, and the
total economic loss to the country is some
where between three and four billion. DR..
Geier cites these figures to show that it will
pay the taxpayers to let congress spend some
of their money preparing to prevent recur-
renee of the flu.
The loss of time and man power, he says is
not really half so important as the impair
ment of the country's health-the long-linger-
ing after-affects of the disease. AS an ex-
ample OF what these amount to in one city,
DR.. Geier states that the Red Cross chapter
in Cincinnati is spending 100000 in exam
lining persons who have had influenza, and
finding in an enormous percentage of cases
that that they have come through the disease
with impaired organs-heart, kidney or lungs.
1t is also caring for great many chronic in
valids who were able to make their own living
before they had the flu.
DR.. Geier firmly believes that the flu prob
lem can be solved by medical science One
after another, they have been conquered
Typhoid, yellow fever, diphtheria, typhus-
they were each at one time as deadly and
mysterious as the flu is now. In each case
the germ was discovered which caused the
disease and then specific was made or dis
covered which would kill the germ.
This same method must and will be applied
to the flu. Many eminent scientists are MAX
ing studies of the subject. What is needed is
an appropriation and authority to enable the
public health service to coordinate all these
efforts, and make them into national cam
paign against the plague.