Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-07
CHARLES SCOTT, Jr.
Talks Of Health Education Of the Ameri-
can Public

can fuDlIC
ST>HE necessity for the education of the
l. American public in the matter of health
is one of the most important questions of
the day, according to Charles Scott, Jr.,
vice chairman of the Central National Com
mittee of the American Red Cross and for
mer manager of the Pennsylvania Delaware
division Of that organization from the time
of its formation until its activities were
merged with those of the Atlantic division
Zone of the greatcEt needs of American
civilization today" said Mr.. Scott, ''is the
enlightenment and the education of the
people, not only in matter of health, but in
showing them how to help themselves.
Material relief Is. after all, only an emer-
gency measure, provided to tide the untor-
tunate over some crisis, and it cannot be
made permanent without making the re-
cipent the object of charity and creating a
more or less intolcrabe situation both for
him and for the giver.
The Results OF Ignorance
1T is undoubtedly true that large per-
centage of the illness, poverty and want
which affict a certain portion Of the Ameri-
can people is due to ignorance, which, once
overcome. will eliminate much of this dis
tress. OF course, no one wants to be i'll,
but many of the people do not know even
the simplest rules Of health following of
which will keep them well, or will in many
cases prevent serious illness.
Education along these lines formed the
basis of the educational work instituted by
the Red Cross. and it Is also in line with
the theory of the State Bureau of Health
at Harrisburg. 1t is DIR. Martins idea to
get mt the causes of prevcntabc disease,
cnlighten the people who suffer from them
(and every one, too, for that matter, who
does not know these causes, and thus stop
such diseases at the source.
."Ihis is a matter of the utmost impor-
tance TO the we'll being of the Nation. Not
only IL the health of the present genera
ton affected largely by. cit, but the health
of the future generations Is, to an even
greater extent, dependent upon it. No
people can attain to their utmost without
good physical health so to a certain extent
the destiny of the country rests in con-
siderable measure upon its health.
Hospital "FollOw. Up" Work
working toward the same end but in
n different manner, is the 'fOlOw-up' sys-
tenn of the modern hospitals. This consists
Of looking after the patients after they
leave the hospital. The patient has gen
orally learned good deal while in the
institution, and when he comes out he
usually knows what put him there if he
had n preventable illness and how to avoid
it in the future:
"A part of this system is due to the fact
that very few hospitals have Il sufficient
number of beds to take care of the patients
thew have waiting for them. Therefore it
is necessary, as soon as a patient Is able to
leave. to take him home in order that some
one else who is In a worse condition may
have the bed.
pennsylvania ranks high in the giving
of health instruction, and DIR. Finegan and
DR.. Martin have i'll mind ideas which, if
carried out will put the State in the very
lead among the Commonwealths Of the
Union
Tho School Nurses
'In many places in the State the Penn
sylyania Delaware Division of the Red Cross
nut in a school nurse, paying her salary and
with the understanding that, when the value
| of her services should have been demon
strated,, the School Board would take over
| this expenditure.
In every community where this was done,
! not only the parents of the children, but the
| members of the School Boards themselves,
| Immediately appreciated the absolute neces .
sity Of continuing the nurse in her work. In
| all the many towns where this was tried
| there was not single instance of the nurse =
| work having been discontinued after tho
| trial period hudt expired.
! The greatest difficulty Is to get the DubIic
: 70 rruli%2 tir Importance Of the muttrr.
| They are relatively so Indifferent that | once
! heard 1t asserted without contradiction that