The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-06-04
SANITATION SAVES
LIVES OF CHILDREN
United States Aids Great
Work in Santiago.

WashingtOn.-ShOuld a IRE sweep
through a cbTldren's hospital in San
tiagO, Chile, and SNUFF out the lives OF
TSo little children, millions would feel
keenest sympathy and presidents and
kings would send messages CT con-
dOlence.
Less spectacular, but far more
cheering, is the actual news that $50
lives Of children under one year old
have been saved in a 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 it's staff to remain In Santi-
ago as technical adviser to the Chilean
ministry of hygiene.
Repayinq Medicinal FaVors.
ut seems only a 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
h~itrates, the iodine and the cocaine
that Chile EXPORTS" says a 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.
Nov Chile, by the creation Of its
national health service, with the as
sistance Of the expert from u cOun-
try, has embarked upon a program
which she believes, at q conservative
estimate. will save her nearly SO,OOC
lives a year.
such a program, through the
length OF her 2,7OO miles, from the nj
trate beds Of Tarapaca to the forests
OF TERRA del FuegO, and her rich in
termediate belts Of copper, iron, fruit
and the only sizable coal deposits Il
South America, will have an impOr
tant bearing upon her future geOgra
ply and upon the world supply Of tn
raw materials and resources she pos
sesses.
"An official resume OF the work pei
formed by the national health servic
since its inception last year, just re
ceiveG at the headquarters Of the Ma
tiOnal Geographic society, tells hO'
a Gy elimination campaign, thrOug
refuse removal, and certain other saI
itary provisions resulted In cuttin
down the infant mortality rate du-
ing the last six months Of 1925 b
45.4 per cent over the deaths Of 1928
and showed a falling Of 81.4 per cer
in the number OF deaths in 1925 Ov'
those Of 1924.
What Chile Has Done.
'The elongated republic, with
One-fOurth area Of islands, has BET
divided into ten sanitary zones,
corps OF health officers has been CT
ated, quarantine regulations ha'
been put into effect, physicians
eensed and compelled to report col
municable diseases, sewage dispOs
plants installed In small cOmmuniti,
municipal sanitary codes drafted al
physical examinations Of school Ch
dren are being gradually provided.
Infant mortality in Chile has be
approximately One-third the total m,
tally. OF those babies that die un6
one year Of age about 60 per cent
under one month old. Therefore, I
report states, a great saving Of Ii
perhaps from so to 90 per cent
these deaths, will be prevented
proper hospital maternity provisi
for mothers.
-Four cities, Santiago, Los Leon
San Antonio and Talca, hencefO
are to have their water supplies ST
Nizcd with chlorine. Certain cit
which have had inadequate water
domestic purposes, including Val
raise, are being surveyed for an a
mented supply.
I'm the water shortage, many toy
suffer from a condition which ma
for Chile's prosperity. Northern q
is the one arid region Of the VIZ
which doesn't want more rain. If
climate changed and heavy rains
periodically the water would g
ually dissolve the nitrate and "
away the eOnntry's unique reser'
OF wealth"