Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-07-10
HEALTH GRAMS
Observation-Disclosures

Observation-Disclosures
An eminent editor says that modern
people have deserted both God and
mammun an favor of the worship Of
Hygiene. l. they served Hygiene as
aldently Is the Puritans did God We
surely would be on the threshold Of a
millennium of health. says the state
health director Who adds that what
gees into the mouth has much more
profound and Tar reaching affect ON
physical well being than that which
eometh out ot the mouth.
Watching aud praying are common
dable Nittuous habits but neither will
keep the wolf away from the door
nor interfere with the work of
deadly germs unless il be followed by
some earnest, intelligent action. The
wolf and the lowly germ are on in
innate terms. When one gets into as
sociation with 4 family he invariably
introduces the other and the two to-
gether can do a lot of mischief that
frequently results in the undoing of
the host.
Heart disease. fer example, gets
credit for one of each Z deaths in
Illinois and heart disease, so medical
experts declare, result in most cases
from infectious diseases. Rheumatic
fever and syphilis are said TO be the
primary cause for fully % per cent of
fatal heart diseases, Rheumatic fever
finds its origin in such things as dis
eased tonsils and teeth and the after
Sc 81. 20
were not pursued with diligent after.
care.
Cleaner mouths. fewewr diseased
tousils, earlier recognition and treat
ment Of sore Threats. skilled attention
10 the little child with aching muscles
and joints frequently called growing
palms, repeated examination Of the
heart after an attack of such dis
eases as diphtheria, scarlet fever,
measles, whooping cough and the con-
slant separation of the sick from the
well are measures that will reduce
the number of rheumatic hearts.
Some authoritative observers boldly
proclaim that syphilis is the obscure
contributing cause of 40 or 80 per cent
Of fatal cardiac disorders. This view
is all the more plausible when one re-
calls that 10000 new cases of this
disease are reported annually IN Hill
nois with as many more probably un-
leported. The preventive remedy Tor
this disease is so obvious and SO GER
tain that one marvels at the tolerance
with which civilized man embraces it.
Believing the incredible and the I'M
possible in preference to the most
reasonable and obvious facts seems TO
be a human trait that ought to rank
along with the seven wonders of the
world This trait leads legislatures
to enact trick laws about teaching
evolution and il leads men to depend
upon some ocult power in certain OF
his fellow beings to heal sickness
rather than To engage in few simple
habits like the generous use OF soap
and water, a reasonable turn at work
and rest. a little diversity and tenn
perance in diet and the exercise OF his
muscles i'm the fresh air that viii pre-
vent a lot of ills.
Quarantine, sanitary regulations
and other health promoting measures
can advance only as far as pubic
opinion permits. Otherwise no health
officer or intelligent citizen would
tolerate the circumstances that allow
the quarantine Of smallpox, for eX-
ample, which terminates fatally fot|
the individual at worst and permit
at the same time the carrier of social
diseases to run at large, spreading
infections that not only reach down
into the third and fourth generations
but which lead 70 iails and asylums.
the first five months OF TINS
year more than 1900 new cases OF
social diseases were reported IN
Illinois. ~,
Doctors George F. and Gladys DICK
have been suggested as nominees lof
the Noble prize this year because VI
their remarkable work in discovering
antitoxin and toXin-antitoXin for the
cure and prevention Of scarlet fever.
II would be hard to find a greater
service to humanity than the dlscoV-
ery of a positive means for elimina1-
ing scarlet fever. The MAGNITUDE OF
this service is suggested by the tact
thar more than 10000 cases OF scar
let fever have occurred in Illinois TINS
year. To prevent the disease IN TINS
state alone would entitle the two
TO perpetual fame but the
discovery of the Dicks will ultimately
be used as a specific against scarlet
fever i'm the farthest corners Of the
world. On
Living TO be 100 or even 70 or 50
+. not a worthy end in itself. Long
life Is admirable only when II en-
braces usefulness. OF course there
nave been and still are inyalids who
nasa contributed to the richness Of
liz in a large way but for the average
man on woman health must accompany
wears In order to make advanced age
worth while.