The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1922-11-10


lister in the statement that every year
two hundred and fifty thousand ba-
bies die in the United States before
they have lived twelve months. It is
strange that for years a nation that
has boosted of its progress should
have been content that million and
a third of its people should die every
year-a large percentage of them
needlessly, since they die as a result |
of preventable sickness-an evidence
of defective civilization.
We have been spending millions of
dollars in the protection Of things
fruits and grain and animals. in the
conservation Of which there is profit.
We have bent our highest energy to
the protection Of property because it
had a money value. We have for
gotten that on the basis of most
simple logic the highest duty of the
state is to make possible the pro-
duction Of normal healthy children
and the next highest is the conser-
walton and protection of human life.
And yet the country over the average
community spends $2.0O per capita
yearly on fire and police protection;
it spends $3.50 per capita on educa-
ton; it spepds only 20 cents per cap
tia on the protection Of the health
and the vitality of it's people.
It is somewhat comforting to know
that as a result of this war revela-
ton it has bcei dem n3::ntCsi that
this great loss o. or human asset
was not Wy a1y means necessary
What we have been able to do during
the last few years shows large re-
suits for betterment Already the
death rate throughout the country
has been lowered considerably: the
lessons learned during the war re-
garding food value, nutrition and
dietetics have been incorporated in
the making of a stronger and bet
tier nourished life. We are beginning
to understand that sickness is not a
visitation of Divine Providence, nor
part of the necessary order of exist
ence; that our troubles have been
largely the result of our own crea-
tion-the penalty of our own ignor-
ance indifference and neglect-the
houses we let people live in; the
clothing that they wear; the wages
for which they have to work; the food
they eat; the water they drink-all
these things in which disease breeds
land from which suffering and death
result
Medical science has been for a
number of years growing more and
more preventive. In clinic and lab
loratory it has discovered and defined
the definite cause of disease. Inces-
Isantly it has tried to proclaim to the
American people the simple conclu-
lsion that if you eliminate the causes
1.-THE results will vanish. 1t took the
revelation that the war left to make
THAT preaching effective. Now the
Federal Government, the Government
LOT individual states, the administra-
Ition of larger towns and cities-all
are turning their attention toward
the betterment of our health condi-
&tions A multitude Of societies func-
tioning along the lines of vital re-
form have been reused in the new ac-
Itivity.
In this work the American Red
Cross has found distinctive and ef-
fective part. 1t has pursued it's his
toric policy never to intrude upon q
field already occupied. Nursing, both
historically and practically, is the
) fundamental function of the Red
, Cross, and in this it has field prac-
, ideally unoccupied ana all its own
> By the establishment of its Public
, Health Nursing Service-particular
in rural districts and in locations
, where other organizations do not ex
, list, and by the institution of instruc
> ltion in Home Hygiene and Care o.
1.-The Sick, Nutrition, Food Values ant
: Child Welfare, it is attempting to ap
, lply effectually the lessons it learned
!during the War and is doing its par
toward the building up Of health
/ Ter, stronger and better nourishet
life
During the last year three hundred
and thirteen new Public Healtl
Nurses were established by Red eros
Chapters. Throughout the countr
twelve hundred and forty of thes
trained women are laboring devoted
ly and successfully-so successful
that in several hundred instances tn
work and it's support has been takel
4 over and made permanent by the pub
= lie authorities. The work of the Pub
! lie Health Nurse is a particularly at
tractive one She comes in the nam
of practical science. she stands a
representative of empirical knowl
edge Her work is splendidly educa
tional Through the home, throug
the public schools, through commun
ity meetings and organizations sh
is impairing instruction in the essen
tails of health development, diseas
prevention, of the sanitary condition
that are necessary for the establish
nient of a higher degree of physica
happiness and a consequent prolong