The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-06-19
Advice On Health
From Headquarters
STATEWIDE TYPHOID CAMPAIGN
BY DIR. II. A. LEWIS.
Oklahoma Health Commissioner

STATEWIDE TYPHOID CAMPAIGN
Under direction Of the State Commits
sioner OF Health Oklahoma IL about
to begin a campaign which probably
is the first of its kind ever undertaken
by any state-a campaign to eliminate
typhoid. II is not necessary TO say
how desirable such result will be.
We all know the terrible toll typhoid
has taken in this state. There is scarce
ly an individual who has not lost some
one near TO him or her through Typhoid.
Even where Typhoid Is not fatal II IL
always a serious disease; always long
enduring and hard TO bear; always
leaving u weakening effect which per.
sists for u long time, and all too fire.
quently leaves after results which may
persist through an entire life time.
| A few years ago there might have
| been discussion as TO the value OF ty.
| phoid vaccine. There always has been
discussion in regard to every advance.
every step in human progress. The
one who did most of all for humanity's
progress was crucified between two
thieves; Calico was tortured because he
insisted the earth moved around the
SUM- Columbus was ridiculed and derided
because he persisted the earth was
round; Jenner was ostracised by the =
medical profession because he claimed
that vaccination would prevent small.
pox. Always the path of those who
would help mankind has been the road
to Gethsemane today. The violet strewn
grave tomorrow.
SO has it been with typhoid vaccine.
| Typhoid has for centuries been one
of the scourges of mankind. II has
shown its fearful ravages with more eff
feet in the armies where men were
gathered together in large numbers and
under insanitary conditions. Even in
the Spanish.American and Boer wars
the losses from typhoid were far heavier
than the losses from the enemy.
In the Russian.Japanese war, al.
though typhoid vaccine was practically
unknown the Japanese managed to keep
their disease death rate down through
the strictest attention to every sanitary
law then known. Soon after this ty-
phoid vaccine came into effect. 1t was
tried on the American armies, a larger
part of which were fighting in the
Philippine, and it was found that >,ty
phoid disappeared. Where there was
vaccination there was almost no ty-
phoid. In the great war just ended,
wheer ten of millions of men weer en-
gagged. fighting in the trenches; where
every road over which pure water and
supplies could be brought was covered
by a barrage of shot and shell, then gen
eral disease rate was small and there
: was practically no typhoid. This again
was due to typhoid vaccine.
1t is the intention of the State Health
Department to make an extensive cam
paign, county by county. The Depart
ment will have the aid of the County
Health Officers and the County Physi
clans 1t is almost confident it will
have the sympathy and support of prac-
ticully all citizens in each county. Where
individuals cannot afford to pay for
the serum it will be given free. Where
they can pay it is expected that they
will have this vaccine administered by
county physician. No such campaign
as this has ever been started by any
other state. The State Commissioner
of Health has one, and only one am
bition, to improve the health and in
crease the happiness of the people of
! Oklahoma.