Smyrna times., 1929-05-08
URGE YEARLY EXAMINATION
To SAVE HEALTH OF YOUTH
MOST DEATHS NOW CAUSED
FROM HEART DISEASE
State Health Board Secretary, DR..
Arthur c. Jost, Says This Rule
Will Prevent Many Diseases

w III X IGNCHl 1lSCdoNo
Heart disease, apoplexy, Bright :
disease, cancer and pneumonia are
the chief causes of death in Della
ware, according to DR.. Arthur G.
Jost, executive secretary of the
State Board of Health. DR.. Jost
approves the yearly examination
which many persons receive from
their family doctor. It is through
these examinations that it is pos
sible to detect early stages Of some
ailments which if neglected may
prove fatal. In speaking of these
examinations DR.. Jost said:
"The first examination Of a group
Of school children often appals one
when the toll Of defects is being
summed up. Some many not be Of
a serious nature, but they stand in
each case between each one of the
group and a satisfactory condition
Of well being. Others are genuine
~ serious, predisposing the child to
illness which may threaten its ex-
istence, or helping to establish or
confirm a mental attitude which
may be more detrimental in the
long run than the ailment itself.
Where it is possible by a care full
follow-up system to have the de-
fects remedied and this ought to
be the great aim behind the whole
attempt, very distinct indeed have
been the improvements noted.
Little less improvements has
been seen in the much wider group,
the group Of adults, where work of
somewhat similar nature has been
undertaken. There is here an in
centive wholly differing from that
which prompts the work in the first
group. With these we assums-and
very often safely so-that for some
time there has been practically
perfect functioning of the bodily
processes, and the desire is to as
sure ones self that there is not any
evidence Of these being disordered.
Three are other differences as well. 4
Single instances Of such exam
among adults are not to be
found for each hundred of eXamin-
ations Of children. The examine
tions are made for the purpose Of
detecting evidences of disease of a
very widely different nature from
those sought after in the school ex-
In the adult, what it is
desired to obtain is evidence of the
first appearance Of diseases Of a
degenerative nature, proof that
functioning has been interfered /
with by over-work or by faulty hab-
its, Or the occurrence of those first
indicating the onset of 4
slowly progressing diseases which,
capable Of being prevented if taken
At their inception, if permitted to
remain may gain a mastery which /
It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to
break.
"They are usually the more diff
fcult to detect in that their onset
= much more insidious. They re-
luire for recognition the very high
est degree of skill in the medical
Those suffering from
hem have not, in respect Of the
off recovery, that high de-
yree Of recuperative power which
he younger individual possesses.
)nly very shortly indeed can ref
.rence be made. individually to the
lisease which a medical examina-
ion Of an adult Il capable of pre-
-enting on relieving. Everyone
,nows how insidiously certain cas-
3 Of tuberculosis are III their onset.
t may appear to be but me
elected cold but a very difficult
Dicture is obtained when a careful
Is made. Still more
nsidious may be the onset of
hronic disease of the kidneys or
T diabetes, the latter Of which es-
ecially is increasing in prevalence
mong the residents Of this coun-
ry.