The Yale expositor., 1920-09-02
NATIONWIDE FIGHT
AGAINST D!SEiSE
American Red Cross WIN Rave
Health Centers in All Parts
of United States.

The American Red Gross has launch'
ed upon a nation wide campaign Of
fighting disease and physical defect
among the American people A new
and unique health institution hns r'ime
into being as the result az So cral
months study by the Red Cross Health
Service Department at National Head
quarters.
Officials in charge of the department
predict that before long This nrV, iirdlth
activity will be in actual operation all
over the country, and that ihC sign
american Red Cross HeaIth Center"
will become as. familiar TO the peo-
pie everywhere as are now the signs OF
the telegraph companies.
Busy Long Before War.
The interest OF the American Red
Cross in the fight against disease is
not, however. of recent origin. Long
before the war the organization began
this health service through lis medical
units In disaster relief work and its
department Of Town and County Nurs-
Ing. During the war and following
the armlstice thousands OF American
Red Cross officials have been sighting
disease Ia rho war-Etricken Countries,
At ehc same tAne tenn OF thousands OF
local Ped Cross otficiss have been en-
gagged at home fighting disease, nota-
bly, during the influenza epidlmlcs.
The American Ped Cross has de-
termined that al this valuable expert
ence In health service abroad and at
home shall not go 10 waste. SO long
az there are q half million people
dying yearly in this country from pre-
ventable causes, and so long ms more
than 0ne-third Of the American chill
dren and young people are victims of
physical defects, the Red Cross recog-
nizes the urgent need for continued
Red Cross health service at home.
How Organization Works.
The Red Cross Health Center is
governed by business principles, up
plies business methods, and, In Its
more simple form, can be established
and conducted by lay people.
Il proceeds upon the demonstrated
fact that health is commodity that
can be bought and sold like broOms
and soap. Therefore, II establishes IT,
self in a storeroom In the principal
business section OF the community. II
displays i;s goods In the form Of at
tractive health exhibits In It's show
windows. II advcrtises constantly and
extensively. And il uses every bush
ness and social device to attract GUS
toners.
The Red Cross Health Center is of
service TO the sick In that II gives out
reliable and complete information
about existing clinics hospitals. sana-
tora and othe' Institutions for the sick
and the defective; about available
nurses, both trained and practical;
about when to consult 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
we'll II teaches people how to pre-
vent sickness and disease. This Is done
in Navy interesting and attractive
w9ys--Hrst Of ail by the distribution
0f popular health literature and
through health lectures illustrated with
lantern slides or with health motion
picture films. Then special exhibits are
Fiven, one after the other, on various
health subjects. Practical demonsira.
tons are made also health playlets by
children TO interest and instruct them.
selves and their elders. Classes are
organized In personal hygiene, home
care Of the sick. first aid and In food
selection and preparation. Health
clubs, both for younger and older peO-
Pile, are formed; also Little Mothers
Leagues. Nutrition and growth clinics |
are conducted for children.
Already more than hundred OF |
these Red Cross Health Centers are IN |
actual operation throughout the coun
try Many Of them also conduct med |
ical clinics, but the one chief, out |
feature Of the American Red |
Cross Health Center Is its health edu- |
cation service which teaches well PEG |
pie how to keep well.