The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-09-03
NATIONWIDE 10 l FIGHT G. =
!, AGAINST DISEASE
american Red Cross Win HAVE
Health Centers in All Parts
of United States.

i The American Red Cross has launch
ed upon d nation wide campaign Of
lighting disease and physical defect
among the American people A new
and unique health institution has come
into being as the result OF several
months study by the Bed Cross Health
Service Department ut National Head
| quarters
Officials In charge OF the department
predict that before long this new health
activity win be in actual operation all
over the country, and that the sisn--
american Red Cross Health Center"
will become as familiar to the pee
| pie everywhere as are now the signs OK
the telegraph companies.
Busy Long Before War.
The interest of the American Red
Cross In the fight against disease il
not, however, of recent origin. LonG
before the war the organization began
this health service through its medical
units in disaster relief work and its
department OF Town and County Nurs-
Ing. During the war and following
the armistice thousands OF American
Red Gross officials have been Sighting
disease in the war-stricken countr1ea-
AT the same time tens OF thousands OF
local Red Cross officials have been en-
gagged at home fighting disease. notA-
bly, during the influenza spidemics.
The American Red Gross has de-
t6rmined that all this valuable expert
ence in health service abroad and at
home shall not 60 to waste. So long
as there are a half a million people
dying yearly In this country from pre-
ventable causes and so long a. more |
than one-third of the American chill |
dren and young people are victims ox |
physical defects, the Red Cross reco9- |
nizes the urgent need for continued |
Red Cross health service at home.
How Organization Works.
The Red Cross Health Center Ia
governed by business principles, APP
plies business methods. and In itS
more simple form, can be established |
and conducted by lay people.
1t proceeds upon the demonstrated
fact that health is q commodity that
can be bought and sold like brooms
and soap. Therefore, it establishes it
self In a Storeroom In the principal
business section OF the community. 1t
displays its goods In the form OF ar
tractive health exhibits La It's show
windows. 1t advertises constantly and
extensively. And it uses every bust
ness and social device to attract GUS
toners
The Red Cross Health Center IL OF
service to the sick In that it gives cut
reliable and complete information
about existing clinics, hospitals. sana-
toria and other institutions for the sick
and the defective; about available
nurses both trained and practical;
about when to consult a physician and
why to shun the Quack and his nos
trums.
Teaching Disease Prevention.
The Red Cross Health Center Is
however, of even greater service to the
well 1t teaches people how to pre- !
vent sickness and disease This is done
In many interesting and attractive ,
ways-6rst Of all. by the distribution
OF popular health literature and
through health lectures illustrated with
lantern slides or with health motion
picture films. Then special exhibits are
given, one after the other, on various G
health subjects. Practical demonstra- z
lions are made also health playlets by
children to interest and instruct them 4
selves and their elders. Glasses are
organized in personal hygiene, home n
-are OF the sick, first aid and in food II
and preparation. Health :
.lubs. both for younger and older peo-
pie, are formed; also Little Mothers \
Leagues. Nutrition and growth clinics .,
ire conducted for children. "
Already more than a hundred of
hese Red Cross Health Centers are In II
lctual operation throughout the eoun-
ry. Many Of them also conduct med +
cal clinics, but the one chief, out
standing feature of the American Red :
ross Health Center is it's health edu-
alton service which teaches well peo-
lie how to keep well.