The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-05-21
HEALTH ARTICLE
By L. A. Riser, NJ. d., in Charge
Department of Rural Santa
ton and County Health
work, S. c. Board of
Health

For Il long time we have IcccpteG
the theory that the country was
healthier than the city and city people
thought they might maintain THEN
healthy condition by making yearly
excursions to the country for their va
cations
This was (, natural supposition for
in the country We have plenty of fresh
air and sunlight and fewer persons 10
a given area. Facts recently brought
out by surveyors made in the coun-
ties do not bear out this theory. These
reports show deaths from typhoid and
malaria TO be much higher in the
country than in the city. This is
brought about by lack of sanitation
poorly heated and poorly ventilat &C:
school buildings. lack of medical at
tention. polluted water and. last but
not least, lack of health supervision
in the rural district. An educational
campaign is necessary TO change
these conditions and thus reduce the
death rate in the country below that
In the city we have health laws ana
the city man is forced TO obey these
laws. In small towns we 90 often
have these laws which are not ..n-
forced. and in the country we have
no laws and no power TO enforce them
if NC had.
In the city each citizen is made TO
understand that his standard Of l;v-
ing must be such as TO como under
~, Ii
made to understand that he is not
only responsible for own health and
that of his family. bat the health OF
his neighbor also. A man in the
country who lives mile or more from
his nearest neighbor can do as he
pleases with his property. His stable
may not be cleaned out but once a
year: his hog pen filthy and smelling
10 high heaven; his well with IN un-
safe top which allows th. surface wa
ter to drain in; his closet open to
flies and chickens and his child with
contagious disease allowed to run st
will 1t does not occur to him that
he is the cause of the spread Of dis
case not only to his neigh Dor in the
country but TOO often TO the citizens
of his nearest town. He may have a
case Of typhoid fever at his home and
through the sale Of milk in town may
spared many cases OF typhoid fever
there
The farmer leads such an inde-
pendent existence. He is lord of ali
he surveys. and this sort Of thing has
10 y
him that he owes certain duties to
his neighbors and friends and to So
ciety at large. We have all beer SO
busy preaching good habits and good
health to city folks and making laws
for them, we have failed to make the
farmer realize his responsibility
Now we are waking Up to this fact
forcement in the country.
Progressive farmers in all our
counties in South Carolina are behind
the movement. Better Health for
Farm Homes and Communities The
department Of rural sanitation Of the
State Board Of Health. by the permis-
sion and aid of your local paper is
going to get out an article each month
on Better Health. The object Of this
department is TO establish L full
time county health department in
every county in South Carolina and
stand ready TO cooperate With any
county beginning this work. No coun-
ty that does not protect the health
and lives of its citizens is truly pro-
gressive 1t is just as important TO
know how much is lost To a county
each year by preventable disease as
it is to know how much is lost by the
boil weevil or the cattle tick.