The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-07-15
BATTLE ALL DISEASE.
Relief Work Done BY the
Public Health Body
OFFICERS GIVE REPORTS
Fight That Is Being Made
Against tuberculosis BY
County Society

Considerable relief work Of all
kinds has been done by different city
and national organizations, but none
has been so effective or been more
helpful than that Of the Blue Earth
County Public Health association.
The annual meeting of the associa-
ton was held yesterday. at which tho
officers for the year were elected. The
following officers were nominated, and
upon motion, the secretary was In
structed to cast ballot for each max
ing the election unanimous, President
Mrs. William Black; secretary, NJ. A.
Nichols; treasurer, Mrs. H. F. Troost;
first vice president, Mrs. c. w. Marks
of Amboy; second vice president, Mrs.
0. w. Healy of Mapleton; directors at
Wise.
The reports for last year were read
by the secretary, and for the last
meeting in March. According to the
secretary's report, last year nine
clinics were held, and this year TWEEN
tythree clinics were held. Mrs. B. Tay-
or who was field secretary the past year
resigned on account of sickness and
Miss Elizabeth Hughes was appointed
In her place. The nurses report show
ed 115 home calls made throughout
the county. During these calls thirteen
active cases of tuberculosis were
found, which have received the field
secretaries attention In some way.
Some are given instructions for car
Ing for themselves, and others woh
are exposed to II, are given pamph-
lets about the disease. Since May 1,
i've patients have died of this In
Blue Earth county, and the reason for
1t was because they did not receive
proper attention or if they did know
about 1t before it was too late, they
did not have the funds to go to a
santorium. Several instances of how
this disease was spread were read
from the nurses report
Many Cases Examined.
During the year 572 cases of all kinds
were examined In the county. These
were at baby, chest and nutritional
clinics.
1t was suggested at the meeting
that the fair board of Mankato be
consulted in regard to erecting a new
building for the clinics and womens
exhibits which have been held at the
fair grounds during the fair Dr. Helen
Hielscher suggested that the women
OF the county get together and find
some means of raising money to
erect a building, which would be a
hitting memorial from the women of
the county to use of women. The
members at the meeting decided to
have the president appoint commit
tee to meet the members of the fair
board, and talk over plans which
might help them find some way to
erect the proposed building.
Mr.. Nichols stated that something
should be done by the state to help
in the work of protecting the citizens
from the diseases which afflict them.
He said that statistics show that
| seven per cent of the American peo-
pie have tuberculosis in an active
stage. Most of them contract it the
get plenty of good food and air, they
develop into consumptives. In Europe,
SIS per cent the people show this
diseasein some form or other
The only way to combat it is to
teach people the preventives, and to
care for those who are unable to d.
so. This takes money, and it ought to
rest partly with the state to care
for these people.
w. H. Detamore, superintendent of
county schools, said that last year
the legislature appropriated s250.OOo
for the erection of a hog house at
the state fair which would only be
used ten days out of the year. At the
same time the lawmakers turned
down a bill asking for state aid in
protection of the states citizens.
Surely the people of the state are
more valuable than the hogs.
DR.. Helen Hielscher said that while
it would be the work of the associa-
ton to strive for state aid, there is
plenty OF work to De done while they
are waiting, and it should be ire OBJ
ject of every member to make thu
association one to be proud of, AMI
to carry on its work so its good re-
suits would be shown to all those who
ate and work so the people of the
county mag receive aid at any time.