The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-12-17

Reported cases IN 131l. 14I
Reported cases in 1918. los
Reported cases in 1919. $500. 81
Reported cases in 1920. Is
We now get 100 per cent reports
from the physicians of the county.
whereas. for the preceding years rs
to so per cent was the average re-
port. This result has been brought
about by vaccination and santa
ton. 8.465 persons hays been
given typhoid vaccine during the
years of 1918, 1919 and 1920. With
in two or three years typhoid
fever should be as rare as yellow
fever. The Health Department has
given 3.186 persons smallpox vac
cination during the three years.
During the great influenza epidemic
in 1918, 20S persons were given in
huenza serobacterins as a prophy-
Tactic measure. The medical and
dental examination of 1900 school
children, with find of L, 800 de-
fects, and 80 per cent correction of
same, has been at the same time a
pleasant task for US and very profit
able for the children. 1t occurs to
us that no work could be more inn
portant than that of making whole
the detectives of our race.
People have been seeing visions
since the days of Paul the Apostle.
but the most beautiful vision to
me is of worldwide sanitation
that will reduce the number of
hospitals. doctors and nurses; JUS
tice, that shall right wrong; peace.
that shall heal hatred and political
strife; sanitation that shall lessen
illness. These are the legitimate
hopes of the future. In time of
depression, like the present. men
often lose their heads and want to
do away with many material things
that we can ill-affard to lose. Some
men would rednce the salaries of
poorly paid ministers-even sus-
pend church work. on a plea of
hard times. They discontinue health
departments and farm agents on
the plea of taxes must be re-
duced." In no county where this
has been done have taxes been re-
duced; the people are left without
the benefits of these agencies for
good and pay the same taxes.
Some say that we must have the
money for other purposes. Could
it be used for better purpose than
the protection of the health of the
people of the county Recently
railroad fares and freight rates were
considerably increased; but would
we want to do away with railroads
because it costs something to use
them? Would we like to do away
with the telegraph or telephone be-
cause rates are sometimes raised2
Are we willing to do without auto
mobiles, buggies and wagons be-
cause the expense of operating
them is more now than formerly2
Can we afford to look at things in
this manner just simply because we
have had a bad year2 Let's not
become discouraged. but all work
together, and bring things out right.
/ read in the News Scimitar a
few days ago a letter from man
inclosing a check for $3.50 for a
Christmas tree for the poor in
Memphis, stating that he was 49
years of age. and that 40 years ago,
as an orphan boy in a poverty
stricken home where the mother
washed and sewed to keep the
wolf from the door,. with no chance
for Santa Claus to come. he wended
his way to the village church where
a Christmas tree was loaded down
with gifts to the children. He stated
that every child in that church was
remembered. and only he himself
failed to receive something from
Santa Claus. and that his little
heart was broken at that neglect.
When / read that letter thought
it was bad for a little child to be
neglected thus. but it is infinitely
worse for that little orphans health
to be neglected--ior him not to
have medical and dental inspection
during his school days. and not to
be given typhoid vaccine to pro-
tect him from typhoid fever. and
many other good things that al
well-organized health department
offers to the peOple.