The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-07-18
ANOTHER WEAK
LINK -DYSENTERY

The alarmingly high percentage Of
unfitness among young men OF mill
tary age in tho South Atlantic and
Gulf States may serve as N index to
the same relatively high percentage OF
Witness of the population as a Who'll
The South is keenly embarrassed over
this situation and rightly so. A great
slice of this unfitness is due to the
yelerea. or social" disease. At irst
this was thought to be due to the ae-
gro element of our population. Later
figures, however revealed the fact
that the same high percal'age of I'M
fitness exists among the white popu-
lation.
The Southern States are not alto.
gether to blame fol this embarrassing
state OF affairs. Ignorance plays a
large part, but the distribution Of
ignorance is fairly uniform over the
country at large. Probably the most
specific cause is climate. Our states
are rated in the temperate zone, but
from the standpoint of health they are
almost semi-tropical. Hence we nave
to contend with great many factors
from which our sister states north OF
US enjoy natural immunity. The
great scourges of hookworm and NAL
aria are already familiar to us. Both
are tropical diseases and eacn mas
PLAYED a large part in lowering the
physical fitness of our people. Pella-
gra is also peculiar to the South ana
has contributed its share.
There is one other important as
ease which though not confined 10 the
South yet takes advantage OF the Id
yorable climate, and not only causes,
thousands of deaths annually, out
stuats and cripples the vitality OF
many other thousands, thus render-
ing them susceptible to otner us
eases. This disease is called dysen-
te-y.
Dysentery is of two kinds-amoeolc
and bacillary. Amoebic dysentery'
though not as contagious as the bac-
illarv form, is of much longer AURA
ton and may last for years as chfoA-
ic dysentery. 1t is also not as prev
alent nor as fatal, but it incapacltates
The victim for a much longer time ana
renders life a burden indeed. 1t is
rather difficult to cure, although treat
ment With emetin may arrest anu
sometimes effect cure AFTER long
treatment.
Bacillary dysentery is related TO w.
rboid fever in many ways. 1t is
food and water bourne disease. An
infected water supply or dairy may
reault in an epidemic particularly
among children. The death rate Is
highest among children under nVe
wears of age. The so-called summer
diarrhoea" of babies is often IN rear
ity bacillary dysentery originating
from carelessly handled dairy PROD
nets. Flies also play an important
mart in spreadin dysentery me le-
cal discharge from the infected lnoF
vidual is teeming with the germs
even after the patient has recovered.
If flies have access to this materlai
Inv means of the surface closet the
qerms may be distributed to many
kinds of food. In this way the sur
face closet and the common mousse Lay
are responsible more than any otner
factors for the spread of both ty-
ohoid and dysentery.
unfortunately, medical science mas
NOT vet discovered a vaccine Whlch
will immunize against dysentery, IN
The end, however, this may not DC
80 unfortunate. For the most sue,
cessful way to combat disease is to
remoye the original cause. hence,
e we can be sufficiently impressed
rith the importance of sanitary sew
no dienosal and safe water supply
vaccination will become unnecessary