Evening star., 1927-05-18

| in the past half century. The devel.
| opment of preventive medicine has
been one Of the outstanding. features
of that period. Whereas in the old
days the doctor healed, IL he could,
those who had become afflicted, the
| greatest stress today is laid upon
keeping the body sound and efficient.
| Proper methods OF living are taught
and suitable diets are prescribed. Hy.
gienic conditions for the home, the
workshop and the factory have been
adopted. Periodic physical e1amina.
tons are urged in order that disease
! may be turned back before it has be.
come seriously developed.
Health Public Obligation.
"In ALI this work our Governments
National. State and local-have recog.
nized that the preservation of health
| and the conservation of life are in
part public functions. Health boards
have been established. hospitals built
and maintained. public nurses en-
ployed and hygiene taught in the
schools. The Public Health Service Of
the Federal Government has taken a
leading part in combating diseases and
in sanitary education. No more strik.
ing achievement was ever accom-.
plished than by DR.. Gorgas of the
United States Army in cleaning up the
Panama Canal Zone. Under French
control the death gate in that area was
24o per thousand. In 1918 1t had
out this work the construction and
operation of the canal would have
been impossible.
universities and colleges, and even
secondary schools. have their resident
doctors and infirmaries. Not few in
dividuals who can afford such health
assurance retain physicians to look
after them the year around. Only re-
Gently the movement for prevention,
or relief in the early stages, has been
extended to mental diseases. Cities
are establishing mental clinics, and
many educational institutions have
departments for studying and alieviat'
ing mental distress which so frequent
ly leads to serious consequences for
the student.
Cooperation and tolerance. which
have been developed so widely in in.
dustry and social relations, are now
found in a marked degree in the medi'
cal profession. The work being done
by the American Medical Association
is a striking illustration OF this. In
years gone by physicians were apt to
be suspicious and intolerant OF other
schools and of other methods OF treat
ment. There has been great change.
The modern broad.minded physician Is
willing to use or to recommend what
ever methods seem best suited 10 the
case in hand. Furthermore, he is the
strongest advocate of prevention. He
1t is who is taking the lead in the de-
velopment of everything which prom
ises to promote health and TO reduce
sickness to the minimum, even though
its tendencies are to diminish the
practice upon which he relies for his
income.
Society Well Organized.
A..Ail OF these accomplishments are
distinctly in the line of conservation
through social service. The society of
this country has become so well organ.
lied, it's charities have become so
broad and inclusive, that the great
body OF our population Is able to Sc
cure adequate medical attention, This
is true to a remarkable degree OF all
our great centers of population, and
it is only in remote quarters that such
service cannot be provided. Our
larger cities support free dispensaries,
our hospitals have provision for free
service, and of all the professions.
with the possible exception Of the min.
istry, our physicians give most un'
sparfngly of their time and their skill
for the alleviation Of human suffering.
Our governmental agencies. our or.