The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-08
SAVED 125 LIVES
Topeka Death Rate Decreased
in Last IL Months.
DR.. Brown Tells ROtarians of
City's Health Activities
BUY 7. B. CHRISTMAS SEALS!
Battle Against tuberculosis
s Most Important Here.
Or. L. g. LOwrey of Iowa Told
I OF the Mental Diseases.

- Topeka Rotarians heard many facts
aboEs the health of themselves and
zof their city today. Some of the facts
were gratifying, but many were not.
Since this is national health week.
and is being supported by the Inter-
national Association of Rotary Clubs,
the program a the noon luncheon to-
day devoted to health topics. DR..
Karl Menninger was chairman of the
sprogram committee and introduced
the speakers
DR.. Earle G. Brown, city health Of
ficer. was the first speaker on the
program. The ROtarians alternately
expanded the. chests and wriggled as
Doctor Bro n gave them statistics on
public health in Topeka.
Since tn. seventeenth century, the
span of human life has been length
ened by eleven years" Doctor Brown
said THAT means that in a city with
the population of Topeka there has
been added to the life of the inhabi-
tants p total Of 5000 years. 1t takes
only good statistician to translate
this figure into huge economic wealth
ad led to the resources of the COM
munity."
Con Icring Diphthcria.
- Doctor Brown mentioned a large
number of epidemic diseases which in
past tim have assumed the proper
fions of plaques, which are being con-
uuered by Udern medical science as
applied to the problems of the public
health The death rate in Topeka
5.during the epidemic of diphtheria
which started in August would have
been more than 500, if it had taken
place a Jew years ago, Doctor Brown
pointed out
The death rate per thousand of
population was 16.7 in 1915, DR.. Brown
said. This was reduced to 14.6 in
z 920. And 1 am confident that the
death rate for 1921 will be between
SEA and 14.2. This means that the
reduction of death rate in Topeka has
saved the lives of 125 persons during
the past year"
In combating contag ious diseases,
Dr. Brown pointed out that during the
Mexican war eleven American sol
fdiers died of disease, to one who died
of wounds received in battle. During
the recent world war" DR.. Brown said,
tthree soldiers died of wounds re-
ceived on the battlefield, to one who
= died of disease"
"a Venereal disease fell short by only
: ten cases, of being as prevalent in
: Topeka, according to last years report
TO the city health department. as
nearly all the other serious communf-
gable diseases combined, DR.. Brown
pointed out.
Buy Christmas Seals.
s5 tuberculosis is doomed to be stamp
9Pd out by public health work in the
3 future, the city health officer declared. (
-5IIe urged the Rotarians to buy the
christmas seals. the proceeds from
which are to be used in fighting the
disease.
u There is one thing lacking, and it
IS a thing you can help US secure" DIR. !
tlrown said. THAT is municipal
shOspital which will enable us to give
proper care to transient cases and to
1nany cases of our own which cannot
get proper care at the present time"
In introducing DR.. Brown DR. !
NIenninger paid high compliments to
the city health department, and urged
The support of the Rotarians for the
proposed general hospital for Topeka
FL The second speaker was DR.. Law