The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-08-18
NATIONWIDE FIGHT
AGAINST DISEASE
American Red Cross Will Have
Health .Centers in Az Parts
of United States.

The American Red Cross hls' lanach-
ed upon q nation wide campaign o1
fighting disesse and physical defect
among the American people. y new
ard ,.liu"v health institution has come
into being as the result Of several
months study by the Red Cross Hraltll
Service Department at National Head
quarters.
Officials in charge of the department
prcdict that before long this new heallh
activity will be in actual operation all
over the country. and that i.e sigh
"American Red Cross Health Center
will become as familiar to the pe"-
ple everywhere as are now the signs OF
the telegraph companies.
<, Busy Long Befc,e war.
Tie interest of the American Nea
Cross In the fight against disease IS
not. however, of recent origin: Long
before the war tile organization began
this health service through its medlcai
units in disaster relief work ana ITS
department Of Town and County NurS-
ing. During the war and following
the arl.istice thousands Of American
Red Cross officials have been hShtihs
disease in the war-stricken countries.
AT tle same time tens of thousands or
local Red Cross officials have been en-
CARED st home fighting disease, nota'
bly during the influenza epidemics.
The American Fed Cross has de-
termined that all this valuable expert
ence in health aervice abroad and at
home shall not 60 to waste. So. long
as there are q half million people
dying yearly in this sountry from I':e'
ventable causes, and so long as more
than one-third of the American chil.
dren and young people are victims OF
physical defects, the Red Cross recos-
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, ap-
plies business methods, and, in its
more simple form, can be established
and conducted b. lay people.
It proceeds upon the demonstrated
fact that health Is commodity that
can be bought and sold like brooms
and soap. Therefore, it establishes IT.
self in storeroOm in the principal
business section of the community. IL
displays its goods in the form OF at
tractive health exhibits in Its show
windows. It advertises constantly an9
extensively. And 1t: uses every busl'
ness and social device to attract Gus
toners. -.
The Red Cross Health Center is OF
service to the sick in that 1t gives out
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 physician and
why to shun the quac& and his nos
trums.
Teaching Disease Prevention.
The Red Cross Health Center is
however, Of even greater service to the
we'll. 1t teaches people how to pre-
vent sickness and disease. This Is done
in many interesting and attractive
ways-frst Of all, by the distribution
Of popular health literature and
through health lectures illustrated will
lantern slides or with health motion
picture films. Then special exhibits are
given, one after the other, on various
health subjects. Practical demonstra
tions are made also health playlets by
children to interest and instruct them
selves and their elders. Glasses are
organized In personal hygiene, home
care of the sick, first aid and In food
selection and preparation. Healtl
clubs, both for younger and older Peo
pie. are formed; also Little Mothers
Leagues. Nutrition and growth clinics
are conducted for children.
Already more than a hundred OF
tl,ase Red Cross Health Centers are in
actual operation throughout the coui''
try. Many Of them also conduct med
ical clinics, but the one, chief, out.
standing feature of the American Red
Cross Health Center is it's health edu
cation service which teaches we'll peG
pie how to keepNwell.