Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-05-18

devices. Large industrial establish
mentS employ not only doctors, but
nurses to care for their employees. In
dustry has found all of this not only
a social, but financial benefit. The
cost OF such Improvements has been
returned many times in the amont OF
productive labor saved Life inSur-
ance companies have health clinics
and distribute hygienic literature.
Several have sanatoriums for the
treatment of their policyholders.
There is no finer page in the his
4 tory Of civilization than that which
records the advance in medical SCI
ence. The heroism of those who
have worked with deadly germs and
| permitted themselves to be inoculated
/ dith disease, to the end that countless
thousands might be saved, was less
| spectacular, but no less far-reachlng
than that on the battlefield or of an
isolated rescue from burning build
| ing or sinking ship.
In the early part Of the nineteenth
century there were only three medl-
cal schools in the United States and
two general hospitals. Since then
progress has been marked. Writing
in 1920, William Osler said the aver
age working life of English-speak
men had been doubled within three
centuries. Most of that gain has
been made in the past half century.
The development of preventive med
| icine has been one of the outstand-
ing features of that period. Where
as in the old days the doctor healed,
if 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. Hygienic conditions
for the home, the workshop, and the
factory have been adopted. Periodic
physical examinations are urged in
order that disease may be turned
back before it has become seriously
developed.
In all of this work, our govern
unconstitutional, state and local
have recognized that the preservation
of health and the conservation OF
life are in part public functions. Health
boards have been established, hos
pitalS built and maintained, public
nurses employed, and hygiene taught
in the schools. The public health
service of the federal government
has taken a leading part in combat
ing diseases and in sanitary educa-
ton. No more striking achievement
was ever accomplished than by Dr.
GorgaS, of the United States army
in cleaning up the Panama canal
zone Under French control, the
death rate in that area was 240 per
thousand. In 1918 it had dropped to
8.35 per thousand Without this work
the construction and operation OF the
canal would have been impossible.
Universities and colleges, and even
secondary schools, have their resi-
dent doctors and infirmaries. Not a
few individuals, who can afford such
health assurance, retain physicians
to look after them the year around
Only recently the movement for pre-
vention, 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
alleviating mental distress which so
frequently leads to serious conse-
quences 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
medical profession. The work being
done by the American Medical asso-
citation is a striking illustration OF
this. In years gone by physicians
were apt to be suspicious and intoler-
ant of other schools and of other
methods of treatment. There has
been a great change. The modern
broad minded physician is willing TO
use or to recommend whatever meth
ods seem best suited to the case IN
hand. Furthermore, he is the strong
! est 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 re-
duce sickness to the minimum, even
, though its tendencies are to diminish
the practice upon which he relies
for his income.
| Ali of these accomplishments are
distinctly in the line of conservation
through social service. The society
! of this country has become so well
organized, its charities have become
SO broad and inclusive, that the grea:
body of our population is. able to Sc
cure adequate medical attention. This
! is true to remarkable degree of all
our great centers of population, and
| it is only in remote quarters that
such service can not be provided. Our
F, larger cities support free dispensaries,
our hospitals have provisions for free
service, and of all the professions.
with the possible exception of the
ministry, our physicians give most
unsparingly of their time and their
skill for the alienation of human suf-
fering. Our governmental agencies,
our organized charities, and our pri-
vate benefactors are all giving gen.
erous support to this most important
/ purpose.
This is an enormos contribution
that has been made to human well
fare. 1t is one of the undeniable
evidences of the soundness and sue
cess Of American institutions. The
| fact that our attainments and our
i blessings have become common is no