The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-07
DRAMATIzINa PUBLIC HEALTH

Physician who Is director Of the
health department in q middle vest
ern county, gives me a severe berat-
ing, and says, among other things:
Lastly, as to rabies. Yours Is 9
correct analysis of the methods used
in an epidemic Of rabid dogs. There
is lot Of publicity. The health OFF,
Ger does bask for a few days In the
limelight'. will even admit that
it may be intentional. But we IN
...... have q hard time getting out
local appropriations sometimes and
we do think our work is worth what
it costs the people. We have never
had a serious situation in regard to
rabies but have used other cpl
denies to dramatic our work. ]
probably win always do So"
So much for the mad dog trick.
Another dramatic performance Of
which politicians who control public
health administration are still fond
is Immigration Of premises or rooms
after infectious or contagious dis
ease. This quaint practice confers
no protection whatever upon the
public so far as spread of the disease
is concerned, All sanitarians know
this, but politicians, not sanitarians,
have the say whether the fumigation
racket shall be kept going. If any
known communicable disease spreads
to another person it spreads through
direct personal contact or via ami
mate or inanimate carriers, generally
while the patient is acutely i'll, and
not from the walls, floor, furniture
or air in or about the sick room after
the patient has recovered or passed
away. Therefore no amount of hor-
rendous fumigation can in the least
prevent the spread of the disease.
Disease germs do not mind bad
odors.
One more bit of drama is still dear
to the heart Of the old fogy health
officer or the old woman health
board and many a big town has a
lot Of sweet old ladies in pants on
the board of health. This is the
practice Of placarding-tacking a
placard on the house or door to warn
passers-by that there is a case Of
Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria
or something of the sort within.
What possible good this could per-
haps do have never been able to
learn. It does not deter relatives or
lneighbors from visiting the dwelling.
It doesn't keep the cat or dog from
going in and out of the sickroom. 1t
doesn't bar mosquitoes, flies or other
insect carriers. It just tells the
passer by bit Of news if enough Of
the placards appear at one time or
in one community it may worry or
even frighten the uniformed. But
old fogy health officers dote on tack
ing up such placards. 1t impresses
the people with the Importance of
the health officers work. Maybe he
justifies the trick in that way-helps
him get appropriations for carrying
on more of the same type Of public
health work.
Keeping It Secret
I like your column, and by eating
good clean vegetables, fruit, wheat
germ and plain wheat as you teach,
and honey in place of sugar, I've all
most cured myself of an "incurable"
disease, after spending $4,000 on hos
pitfalls and doctors in fourteen years.
just for your information. (E. K.)
Answer-1nteresting, Ma'am, but
not at all informative. However,
your secret is safe in your own keep
ing.
Charts for Testing Posture
Where can I obtain the charts or
standards for measuring posture,
which you mentioned in yuor recent
articles on posture. CIV. S. W.
Answer-The Brown charts, de-
vised by DR.. Lloyd TO. Brown of
Harvard were issued by Children's