Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-05-25
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i. HEALTH ARTICLE. y.


Of department Of rural sanitation
and county health work, S. c.. Board
OF Healthy
For long time we have accepted
tho theory that the country was
healthier than the city, and city peo-
pie thought they might maintain
their healthy condition by making
yearly excursions to the country for
their vacations.
This was natural suppoSition
for in the country we have plenty Of
fresh air and sunlight and fewer
persons to given area. Facts re-
Gently brought out by surveys made
in tho counties do not bear out this
theory. These reports show deaths
from typhoid fever and malaria to
he much higher in the country than
i'm the city. This is brought about by
lack Of sanitation. poorly heated and
poorly ventilated school buildings,
lack Of medical attention. polluted
water, and, last but not least, lack
districts. An educational campaign
is necessary 10 change these condi-
tiOnS and thus reduce the death rat g
in the country below that of the city.
where it properly belongs. In the
city we have health laws, and the
city man is forced to obey those
laws. in small towns we too often
have these laws which are not en-
no laws. and no power to enforce
them if we nad.
In The city each citizen is made TO
understand that his standard OF liv-
ing must be such as to come under
the law. and at the same time he is
made to understand that he is not
only responsible for his own health
and that OF his family, but the health
OF his ncighbor also. 4 man in the
country who lives a mile or more
from his nearest neighbor can do as
he pleascs with his property. His
stables may not be cleaned oiit more
be filthy and smelling to high hea-
ven; his we'll may stand with an un-
safe top, which allows the surface
water to drain in; his closet may be
open to flies and chickens, and his
child with contagious disease al
lowed to run at will. 1t does not oc-
cur to him that he is the cause Of
the spread Of disease, not only to his
neighbor in the country. hnt too Of
Inj' 1" tho G.. tuN# OF mis- neUTr,f
town. ii2 mal have a ensa 3. ~
rNn.j terer d., b,# 1amt ~Da Through
ta" sale ot rl.ik ~ town mag spread
many eases Of typhoid fever there.
The farmer leads such an inde-
. pendent existence. lie is lord Of
all he surveys. and this sort Of thing
has gone on so long that it is hard
10 convince him that he owes certain
duties TO his ncighhors and friends
and to society at large. We have all
been so busy preaching good habits
and good health to city folks and
making laws for them. we have fail
ed to make the farmer realize his
responsibility. Now we are waking
up to this fact and feel the need OF
some law enforcement in the coun-
try.
Progressive farmers in all our
counties in South Carolina are be-
hind the movement. "Better Health
for Farm Homes and Communities ;"
The Department OF Rural Sanitation
OF the State Board of Health, by the
permission and aid of your local pa
per, is going to get ont an a.'ticle
each month on "Bcttcr Health" Thc
object Of this department is to cs-
tablish full-timc county health de-
partment in every county in South
carolina, and we stand ready to CO.
operate with any county beginning
this work. No county that does not
protect the health and lives Of its
citizens is truly progressive. 1t is
just as important to know how much
Is lost to county each year hv pre-
Vcntahlc disease as it is TO know how
much is lost by the boil wcevil or the
cattle tick.
N1nIAl