The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-09-15
THE CRIME OF CIVILIZATION
BY f. Paul Knots, MD.
He,lth Officer Oraneebury County

The greatest ideal that can inspire
and direct any body of people is
that one which leads to the better
ment of mankind This complex life,
which civilization has developed for
us,may be summarily divided into GER
tain distinct phases. Without inten-
ton of being arbitrary, one might say
that mans life is essentially the sum
of his mental, moral and physical
well-being. In the consideration of
these vital factors we will see that
one is neglected in large part.
In the development of the minds
of the youth of America, great adj
Nancement has been attained coinci-
dent with national Standardization of
the essential factors in education.
Our public and private institutions of
learning. while far from ideal, do meet
the emergencies OF our present day
social, economic and political life and
IN the main are satisfactory to the
greater mass of the people. From our
earliest intelligence starts our relig-
.ous training. The first complicated
sentence taught to the infant is us
ually prayer. The Sects, crceds and
organizations are in great numbers
and well organized, while the Anglo
Saxon civilization has not brought
with it the pinnacle of morality yet
it is obvious that the field of religion
IS crowded with men and women of
zeal and ability and with time they
will evolve the greatest issue which
man has to face. Now there remains
that great domain which is purely
physical. Since no life is even COM
paratively complete or well rounded
If this phase is not properly consider
ed, and since moral and mental well
being are, in large part, dependent
upon the physical status of the man,
we cannot give too great conSidera-
ton to such an important factor.
Now the physical side of man is
well within that domain of the pro-
fession which deals with the curative
art. Yet the hopes of medicine are
not confined to the treatment of the
individual. Unfortunately the physi-
can has too long treated the indiVidu-
Il after he has fallen i'll to some
dreaded disease. This is exactly op-
}oSlte TO the plan to abolish ignOr-
lnce and vice. We do not wait until
one is an adult to begin an education
or to teach religion. We do IN all
cases care for the Individual cases
out the idea to prevent ignorance
and vice by early Instruction. Yet in
connection with that all important
factor,our health, the idea has never
successfully pervaded the public
| mind. That this is no rault OF medical
Nen goes without saying. The public
:"t& exactly what they want. Uni0r-
'Hnc' " we are not gifted with a
health conscience. Religious training
gives us the laws of morality; the
tate gives us certain laws respect
ing our relation with our neighbor,
lat our body, our health is ours to
do with as we choose and if we mis-
treat it NC do not suffer either the
nnger OF the law of the land nor
tWln"s of conscience. Civilized people
have been content TO pass anti-spit-
ting laws in public places, doing away
with public drinking cups and laying
down certain regulations concerning
contagious diseases and then to sit
back in snug satisfaction that they
gave done a very wonderful thing. 1t
must be admitted that these regula-
tons are prolific of great good and
are truly commendable yet they rep
resent only the A B c of preventive
medicine.
The great war has taught US many
lessons. Perhaps the ones which will
give to posterity the greatest good
are entirely medical in consideration.
preventive medicine, as applied TO
large groups of people, has been
shown definitely and conclusively,n
to be an Idle dream of some visionary
ldcallst but a potent and applicable
principle. The public, generally
speaking, is always number of
years behind science and more es-
pccially medical science. The most
striking example Cf this is shown by
the Fact that the masm:c theory is
stu held h" thousands of people, con-