The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-05-26

Dy LIZ. Il. a. hlser, NIL, In charge
department Of Rural Sanitation and
County Health work, 8. C. Board of
Health:
For q long time we have accepted
the 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 n natural supposition for
in the country we have plenty of
fresh air and sunlight and fewer per-
sons to given area. Facts recently
brought out by surveys made in the
counties do not bear out this theory.
These reports show deaths from ty-
phoid and malaria much higher in
the country than in the city. This is
brought about by lack of sanitation,
poorly heated and poorly ventilated
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
Of the city where it properly belongs.
In the city we have health laws and
the city man is forced to obey these
laws. In small towns we too often have
these laws which are not enforced,
and in the country, We have no laws
and no power to enforce them If we
had.
In the city each citizen is made to
understand that his standard Of liv-
ing must be such as to come under
tn law and the same time he is made
to understand that he is not only res
ponsible for his own health and that
of his family, but the health of his
neighbor also. A man in the country
who lives a mile or more from his
nearest neighbor can do as he pleases
with his property. His stable may not
be cleaned out but once year ;his hog
pen filthy and smelling to high heav-
en-; his we'll with an unsafe top which
allows the surface water to drain in;
his closet open to flies and chickens
and his child with contagious disease
allowed to run at will. 1t does not, oc-
curr to him that he is the cause of
the spread of disese not only to his
neighbor in the country but too often
to the citizens of his nearest town.
He may have a case Of typhoid fever
in his home and through the sale Of
milk in town may spread cases of
typhoid fever there.
The farmer leads such an indepen-
| dent existence. He is lord of all he
surveys, and this sort of thing has
gone on so long, it is hard to convince
him that he owes certain duties to
his neighbors and friends and to So
Getty at large. We have all been 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
and feel the need of some law en-
forcement in the country.
Progressive farmrs in all our coun-
ties in South Carolina are behind the
movement, "Bettcr Health for Farm
Homes and Communities" The De-
partment of Rural Sanitation of the
State Board of Health. by the per
mission 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 q
full time County Health Department
in every county in South Carolina
and we stand ready to cooperate.
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 a county
each year by preventable disease as it
is to know how much is lost by the
boil weevil or the cattle tick.