The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-01-26
DISEASE NOT NECESSARY
Continued From Page u

Wnlcn there were 6OU,OOO deaths from
influenza. that there was so little
complaint, all realizing that the short
age of physicians in civil practice
gave our boys a better chance.
We lost less than 1900 soldiers
in the war, but during the same two
years $50, 900 persons in our civilian
population died from cance History
shows that in former wars death
from disease was a large factor in
the termination of war, since death
from disease and death in battle
occurred in a ratio of from s to l to as
high as Is to /. In the Spanish war
we lost in battle 1853 soldiers, while
5000 and that many died of disease.
Twenty thousand soldiers were sick
with typhoid fever at one time, due
to failure to establish proper medical
authority. In the Boer war the Eng
lish lost 5000 Of $4,000 soldiers sick
with typhoid. In contrast to this the
recent French report or the Great
War shows that six soldiers died IN
battle to one from disease. The nee
essities of war finally gave medicine
an opportunity to make this marvel
GUS showing when given authority.
These figures demonstrate the saving
of life that should be possible in time
Of peace. Attention is called to the
lack Of public health care as a nation
al waste, since we lose 600, 900 persons
a year from unnecessary disease;
900, 900 fail to live through the first
year of life, and $4,000 die within
the first six weeks. Our maternity
death rate is the highest Of any civil
lied nation, largely from neglect OF
lack of opportunity to secure speci-
al care in many of the farm districts.
In spite of such adverse conditions
it is probable that twelve years have
been added % the average length
Of human life by applied medical sci
ence within the last few decades,
largely through the preservation of
children.
For some years to come the prog
ress of medical science will depend on
America. In England, unfortunately,
all research investigation of disease
has beer checked by a pernicious bill,
passed through the influence of the
anti-vivisectionists, which prevents
animal experimentation, also by the
development of generaliZed state
medicine, and the consequent loss of
initiative. 1t may be mentioned that
! thncn CANA orti yiuic nnfinnicf pnrn1i IL
the coursing of hares, and wear the
furs of trapped animals often held
suffering for days until visited by the
trapper. The influence of such per-
sons is becoming active in America
and must be combated as W. combat
disease. They wilfully misrepresenr
experimental research on animals and
are unwilling to believe that such
experimentation is very expensive,
requiring buildings, equipment, much
labor, and accurate detailed observa-
tons carried out with the exact
technic under anesthctics as is used
in operating on patients, yet with ral
greater difficulty. 1t is only by the
clear and honest Interpretation of
such work that the econom-
ic loss caused by disease in our pets
and domestic animals, to say nothing
Of persons can be prevented.
We are not naturally law-abiding
people. Civilization is but the state
Of social conscience of the mass. For
instance, prohibition is evaded, especi-
ally in such states and cities as have
a high percentage of foreign born in
habitants, who are aided in such eva
sion by the congressman who repre-
sent them. Their efforts to take ad-
and make bartenders Of physicians,
and saloons of drug stores, was doom
ed to fail. In the control of the use
of alcohol Congress should have ascer-
tanned the small amount of liquor re-
leased to wholesale and retail drug
gists for medical use previous to the
passing of the prohibition act. Prohi-
bition is logical in countries with
universally pure drinking water like
ours, and has reduced remarkably not
only those diseases caused by alcohol
but the associated diseases Of social
and moral life largely dependent on
alcohol and it's sale.
The scope Of our national health has
become greatly extended over its
former conception in the education of
the people. Many, having developed
to adult life on a foreign soil, resist
progress in this country, necessitating
added supervision in the form of pre-
natal, maternity and baby welfare
of the child, and the care and proven
ton of disease during school life, also
require national attention. Instruction
in physical development the establish
ment of Fairgrounds, and living and in
dustrial hygiene are, in a general way,
more or less appreciated by the inhab-
itants of our cities, with the result that
farm life has become almost unbear-
able to our youth. 1t is said that SO, 900
farms in New England have been aban.
doned, $4,000 within the last year. In
a less degree this is going on through