The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-12-28

questions of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
military age in the army and navy
is only one feature Of 1t. Shifts in
the civil population have also oc
CURED all over the world on q
wholesale scale.
The consequences TO public
health are Of several kinds, the
most important of which is the
possibility Of the start and spread
Of epidemics. Just before the death
OF the late lamented Hans Zinsscr
of Harvard. he advocated very
gradual drafting and mobilization
Of troops.
This has been carried out to a
far greater extent in the United
States than in the last war and
probably accounts for the very
small number of epidemics which
we have had among troops 49, at
least il accounts partially for it.
or course, we have % give credit
to the more extensive vaccinations
against contagious disease which
have occurred this time.
Shifting Of Civil Population
The shifting of the civil popula-
ton has not, as yet, shown any
marked changes in public health
in this country. In England, how
ever, one and one-fourth million
mothers, children and cripples
were removed from large cities to
rural areas. The crowding has re-
suited in many epidemics of scar
let fever; dlphtheria and influenza.
Thirty per cent of children Is
years of age were evacuated from
cities which were in danger, with
an immediate rise in diphtheria
among the native children
amounting to 60 or 20 per cent.
1t is surprising, considering the
crowded living conditions, sewage
facilities and make-shift plumbing
and toilets, that the great migra-
ton of labor in the United States
mas not resulted in more bad
health. Six hundred thousand
workers, it is estimated, will leave
the farms in 1912. Farm people
are VIGOROUSLY subject to conta-
yious diseases when they leave the
farm because they heve been pro-
,ected by isolation from contact
with large groups of other people.
1t is to the credit Of the depart
nents of health-state and local
that epidemics have been held to a
minimum. Nutritional diseases
are slower to make their appear
ance and undoubtedly a consider
ole amount of nutritional disease
will appear within the next decade
ar two.
Tropical Diseases
The armed forces who 20 10
tropical areas are bound to be ex-
posed to diseases which are
strange and unfamiliar to them,
and when they come marching
nome, it is in the cards that they
will bring home tropical disease to
civilian populations. However, we
are all informed and prepared to
take care Of these changes and
medical science is, to very much
greater extent than formerly, in .
position TO handle them success.
fully.
Certainly. in this country al
least, we are not in any danger OF
the dreadful conditions which are
reported from France and Greece
where underweight from malnu-
triton is a general rule, where
ricketts, is appearing almost uni.
versally among children, where
the deformities such as bowlegs,
knock knees and twisted arms are
beginning TO show themselves;
where girls do not mature until
they are Is, 16 or II years old and
where hunger is real and univer-
sal experience. -
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
answer: Ihis ls very i'm
portant question to answer: the
test unquestionably. in ray opinion,
indicates diabetes. There is never
sugar in the urine normally. The
normal blood sugar is usually put
down at the figure Of l00-which
means 100 milligrams Of glucose
per 100 &C. Of blood. The fact that
you have not had any OF the symp-
toms of diabetes Is not at all I'M
usual; many people do not. 1t in
dicates an early case and one
which should respond well to
treatment. 1t is true that there
may be other causes Of sugar in the
urine, but it would not be wise for
you To count on this when there 10
the possibility that you have the
more serious condition OF diabetes.
Ny idea Of a proper procedure
from now on for you would be for
you To 90 TO a doctor who will give
you a glucose tolerance test which
will, prove absolutely whether you