Imperial Valley press., 1919-02-07
A WORLD UNPRE'PARED.

We take great pride IN the advance AhauS >
medical and surgical methods and SYSTEM pu
when the world is hit by great pandenlic, surl Az
as it has been and still is suffering froil W.
find how comparatively helpless we are alVei
all and how disease must run its course.
The loss of life incident to the raVages o.
the influenza is estimated at over ',oUo'Ooo
Certain London authorities say tilaC II Killed. d.
many reople in ten weeks as the world war dlo
in over four years How really helpless we stooo
in the face of this foe, the flgures showing j.
n be twenty times as fatal as war, give convlnc,
ing proof. =
It seems now to be quite well established
4ho+ fo,y medical authorities sensed in the be-
ginning. the deadly character of the disease,
and so slowly did the grim truth UNFOLD thaI
tbe whole world was involved IN the peSthence
before anv of the forces of society created to
grapple with such situations were really aware
Of the deadly character of the malady.
Even now, the medical profession Is not Ger
tain as to the disease. We do not say this crit
cally. and we realize that the members indlvld-
ually have given the best that was in them TO
stop the terrific ravageS of an unknown ana
unidentified pestilence
What is perfectly plain is that the method
of handling the malady, taking the world at
large. was wholly inadequate Probably because
the fatal character of the disease was so Httle
realized at the outset the restrictions that were
potent.
We had fine sample in Detroit, Michigan,
of lax methods inattention to official orders TO-
pether with protest and struggle with every
restriction imposed or attempted to be imposed
by the state Delegations were sent to wait on
the governor, kilograms from influential quar-
ters appealing for an immediate hitting OF the
ban, and struggle developed with every means
created to prevent the spreading of the disease
,,,+o. cfc pITl
sistent, and their influence is very powerful
And they are sometimes badly mistaken. They
are oftentimes very selfish and they may usual
ly be counted upon to think more of the co1fel
than the coffin.
A loss in receipts is definite thing, known
in an accurate and scientific way. The methods
to prevent the spread of disease are more OF
less uncertain and experimental. To abandon
known profit for imagined preservation Of hu.
man health is usually looked at askance and
many times with honest incredulity
Viewed now after 100000 victims have
gone to their graves, most of them in the very
prime of life, it seems quite clear that the OF
ficial system of handling the situation was
characterized by monumental blunderlng. And
in saying this we have IN mind the record OH
both continents.
The outstanding features of the lnadequacy
and impotence which characterized the world Is
handling of the pandemic was first mlsunder-
standing of the nature and character of the dl-
sease, second the employment of slow and cum
bersome legal means to curb the ravages OF the
disease, third, open defiance of health author
tiles by municipalities and individuals.
At the outbreak of the next wave of disease
which may sweep over the world there shoulC
be prompt research and laboratory work lden
tification of the germs, and better understand
ing of the symptoms and manifestations Woult
90 q long way toward effective means OF treat
ment.
1t is apparent too, that we need further leg
islaton which will take the work of the healt
boards out of the hands of local officials VIII
are not willing to cooperate and who canno
do so intelligently.
One big municipality in state which ia
nores the safeguards and methods prescribed b.
state authorities can nullify the good work of a.
the rest But that is no reason why law w-abidn
citizens of the state should become victims o
the cupidity of those who snap their fingers i
the face of authority.
Vigorous action is demanded in such circum
stances and the state should be empowered +
take charge and administer the work of tn
health department with an iron hand.
Autonomous action at such time shoul
be superseded by the higher authority of tn
state and should be concerned only with tn
health of the people,
We have paid dearly in California for SON
newly found knowledge. But it will prove us
Jess unless we have the determination and tt
courage to act as result of it.
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