Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-02-03

volunteer tuberculosis workers OF III
stale for the impetus they have give
10 the warfare against this most Wild,
spread OF all human ailments. Win
out their self-sacliiicins voluntee
sefyice such splendid progress coul,
not have been made
Bur. above all. want TO conggatu
hare the citizens and the volunteers O
H. sale County upon their wisdom
nj f.. i"a-ttet,- in MAKING thi
ya5lie m,os;meo, in lo..fh aal hap
piness aNd ag.aau eHicieucy aA
profoundly impress ed that the none,
expended in this sanatoriun. in it
dlspensarv and in its nursing service
Will prove not only splendid invest
ment in purchasing new benefits TO,
this county but that. as time goe,
on. ii will be found that this cxpendi
ture will result in tremendous tiuan
ciai economy.
The American people are accus
TONED TO the discussion OF publ,
s'A'"S-'iAA'0 III Nf4 ltlN ~ ubl4N4S dlt
cents 1t is accepted as an axiom
among students OF public health that
community can have just as much
or just a. littlo health as it is willing
10 pay FOR Health is unquestionaBly
a parchasabIe commodity
Ii is impossible for rs to measure
or 10 express the saving OF human
life or the prevention OF human suf-
fering which this institution will bring
about Grief, pain. anxiety and scr
row can be teh. bu. not express sed
The cost OF disease, however. in loss
OF life, in loss of productive In Dor. il
medical care and nursing. and in the
bnrfal OF the dead can be computed
with relative accuracy.
The state department, Of public
health has recently made study OF
the cost OF prevcntable disease for
one year in Illinois. the cost which
could have been prevented. BASED
upon estimates which were 20 con
sentative as to really undeHstate a
case il was found that this financial
loss from preyentable disease
amounted TO the staggering total O
almost Sl55,o.=J ,egJ year. or a loss
10 each man, woman and child in the
state OF almost s2j II was found that
this prevenrable wastaea was auua
10 over : per cent OF the total as
Sessed valuation Of the materia
wealth OF Illinois. and in some coun
ties the per cent OF the tOta! asses sed
valuation ran a. high as "A, % ana
even IS per cent, IN other words. pre-
ventable disease in at least ore county
in Illinois was responsible for finan
clal loss which would equal the en-
tire assessed property valuation in
period Of considerable less than three
years
And standing 1T the forefront o
the eleven diseases responsible fol
this staggering loss stands the dis
ease for THE amehoration and cure o.
which this institution is dedicated
In actual, computable, material wealth
tuberculosis is costing the people o.
Illinois almost $ll5,000,0e0 a year /
81 100000 out OF total OF $155, 00o,
GO aused by all communicable dis
eases.
Someone has said that il all thu |
people would utilize the knowledge |
we now possess if we would use our
intelligence and our resources. trlber
,ulosls would be practically wiped on
n two or three decades The estat
ishment OF this sanatorium is ste,
Ind an important step in that direc
ION
pathetic thing. and the tragi
hing, is that this whole tremendou.
LOSS, plus the unmeasurabI. |
est OF grief and pain and sorrow
iced not continue il we but will il so
Since this sana tOrfum will have Ii | I
sale County as is field for useful !
less, il may be interesting at thi
ime tor us TO consider the financial {
est OF communicable diseases, ant /
specially tuberculosis. in this par :
ocular county 1t is conservatively 3
stimated that eleven preventable dis =
ses cost the peCp.e OF La Sale G
onnty $1,000 600, and that OF this =
mount the loss of S1,470,0C0 is dus I
, tuberculosis If this annual los, e
an be checked or even materially Z
adiiced through this sanatoriarn and Il
. allied agencies, the investment il q
5 construction will probably be TIL G
PSI that this county has ever made
Even With adequate machinery
and the conditions are not vet rim /,
n ideal results in disease proven d
on. but even so am convinced that n
ie time is not long before the people n
al Sale County will look with b.
attitude upon those persons who n,
ad the movement for the establish r.
ent OF this institution and upon III, m
lblic officials who 50 efficiently car 20
ed out the viii OF the people. 4.
The usefulness OF this institution h.
III constantly increase, and the good -.
Hich 1t will do viii not be confined
the four walls OF the sanatcrinm No
matter OF fact | am fpad 10 be ga
we that the greatest value in the 10
wing Of human life and in the pre- in
ntion OF disease is not derived from M
g mere treatment Of the sick. how. >,
h.