The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-10-15
War Of Education

| '"In many states state boards Of health,
with the hearty cooperation of the United
States public health service, are carrying
| on war OF education. Propaganda in the
shape Of monthly bulletins and Pamphlets
are distributed free Of charge to all who
. can and will read them. These bulletins
are written in A-B-C fashion 80 that he
who reads may understand. ~
''In many states special attention is de-
lvoted to those diseases which for obvious
reasons are. Of special Importance.
This public health education goes far
! In giving the public general idea Of
just what can be done to prevent disease
The motion pictures are utilized with
good results. ' -:
Parents are being told the symptoms
! Of disease (for example, diphtheria) and
are impressed with the fact that the
earlier they can detect something wrong
| with the child and the sooner they can
get in touch with the doctor the better
chance the child will have.
Cant the general practitioner and the
specialists see that the wonderful public
health education work now being carried
on all over the country can only do good
in combating ignorance and awakening
in the ignorant the need for better I'M
Outstanding, getting thew away from su-
perstition and. in many instances. VOC
dooism and teaching them to rely on the
physician who by his special training is
the only one qualified to minister to their
! ills?
Free Treatment Plan ,. "
"In some states the directors OF the
educational bureaus strengthen their bull
| letins, pamphlets and educational talks
! with practical demonstrations, free treat
I ments. In other words, after having told
the public what can be done, they an
swer the gentleman from Missouri by
| Showing him what can be accomplished.
| Suppose for example, state and gov
eminent forces select your city or town
| for one 70 their demonstrations and pro-
| coed to wage war on hookwornns, disea sed
! tonsils, defective teeth, venereal diseases,
etc Suppose they find conditions bad.
They awake public interest. They then
move their forces to another front. and
again give battle to the enemy. Has any
| harm been done? Has anyone been ben
| Gifted? I ask You, as honest men, who
has been benefited the most? The indi-
| vidual treated or the medical profession
in that community?
1.-THE people have been taught the value
! Of preventive medicine and the value of
a scientific cure. They have been taught
to avoid the charlatan and the quack'
the healer, whether he be the ordinary
garden variety Of catch as catch can
| chiropractor, or the latest church edition,
the healing mission by the gentle laying
on Of hands
81 will not believe that the medical
profession of America is not cognizant Of
! the cooperation that is being given 1t
| today by the state board of health and
| the national government through the
| public health service.
! Sufficient Funds Needed
"rrue economy demands that suffi-
Client amount should be set aside annually
for scientific investigation and demon
stratio11s bearing upon the, protection OF
! the public health Is it any wonder that
the chief OF the division Of scientific re-
search in his last report should. say,
! While the insanitary disease spreading
privy continues to be typical of our rural
/ conditions, while 100000 people suffer
annually from malaria while one-th1rd
! of our men Of military age are unit Tor
military duty and while disease such as
| influenza can sweep across the country
| and kill SOC. 900, persons in the course OF
! a few months, it is evident that there is
a CRYING need that more attention be paid
hy, The federal government to the PROB
| lens Of public health.
"Preyentable diseases are social prob
| lens. they must be solved by social rem
! edies. In order to have public support. the
! public must understand what is needed
! and why it is necessary. Public education
therefore, is necessary. When the public
| is eucated they will understand that the
knowledge they received will help reduce
disease and will mean the saving OF hu-
man lives, and thy will not condemn 1t as
| propaganda and elements at work TO
create fictitious health problems. nor VIII
the educated masses feel that they have
been segregated into. pauperIzed
! class ~.