The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-04-30
SANITATION SAVES
LIVES OF CHILDREN
United States Aids Great
Work in Santiago.

Washington. Should a fire sweep
through a children's hospital In San
tiago. Chile, and SNUFF out the lives of
TS9 little children. millions would feel
keenest sympathy and presidents and
kings would send messages Of con-
dolence.
Less spectacular, but far more
cheering, is the actual news that 7S9
lives of children under one year old
have been saved in six months
period In that one city.
And the United States had an i'm
portant part in this magic boon OF
modern medicine.
The circumstances emerge into the
news because Of the announcement Of
the new sanitary code regulations and
the decision of the United States pub
lie health service to permit DR.. J. d.
Long OF its staff to remain in Santi-
ago as technical adviser to the Chilean
ministry Of hygiene.
Repayino Medicinal Favors.
ut seems only bit of poetic JUS
tice that the United States should
minister to the land whose deserts
make the worlds gardens grow. bind
the sores and wounds of mankind. and
alleviate the pain of intense suffering
In hospitals from New York to Singa-
pore-for those are the effects of the
nitrates, the iodine and the cocaine
that Chile exports" says bulletin Of
the National Geographic society.
Medicine has wrought powerful
changes in the geography of the
world" the bulletin continues. "Qui-
nine, for example, has been mans
chief ally in conquering the tropics.
And recent applications of medical
science have been estimated to have
saved more lives among the allied ma
lions since the World war than were
lost in that titanic struggle.
Now Chile, by the creation of its
national health service, with the as
sistance of the expert from our coun-
| try, has embarked upon program
which she believes. at a conservative
estimate, will save her nearly 10000
lives year.
"Such program. through the
length of her 200 miles, from the nj
trate beds of Tarapaca to the forests
of TERRA del Fuego. and her rich in
termediate belts of copper, iron, fruits
and the only stable coal deposits in
South America, will have an impOr-
tant bearing upon her future geogra-
ply ard upon the world supply Of the
raw materials and resources she pos
sesseS.
IAN official resume of the work per-
formed by the national health service
since it's inception last year. just re-
ceived at the headquarters of the Ma
tional Geographic society. tells how
fly elimination campaign, through
refuse removal, and certain other SAN
itary provisions resulted In cutting
down the infant mortality rate dur
ing the last six months of 1925 by
45.4 per cent over the deaths Of 1923 !;
and showed falling of 31.4 per cent
in the. number of deaths in 1925 over
those Of 1924.
What Chile Has Done.
1.-THE elongated republic, with its
One-fourth area of islands. has been
divided into ten sanitary zones. a
corps Of health officers has been Gre
ated, quarantine regulations have
been put into effect, physicians IL
censed and compelled to report COM
municable diseases, sewage disposal
plants installed In small communities,
municipal sanitary codes drafted and
physical examinations of school chill
dren are being gradually provided.
Infant mortality in Chile has been
approximately one-third the total NOR
tally. OF those babies that die under
one year of age about 60 per cent die
under one month old. Therefore, the
report states. a great saving of life,
perhaps from so to 80 per cent of
these deaths, will be prevented by
proper hospital maternity provision
for mothers.
-Four cities. Santiago. Los Leones.
San Antonio and Talca, henceforth
are to have their water supplies ster-
ilized with chlorine. Certain cities
which have had inadequate water for
domestic purposes, including Valpa-
raise. are being surveyed for an aug
mented supply.
I'm the water shortage, many towns
suffer from condition which makes
for Chile's prosperity. Northern Chile
is the one arid region of the world
which doesn't want more rain. II the
climate changed and heavy rains fell
periodically the water would grad
ually dissolve the nitrate and wash
away the country's unique reservoir
of wealth."