We have divided the public health field up into so many portions that one must practically be a specialist or have special interests in order to find a place. There is no provision for the ordinary citizen. Not only is support divided, but influence is likewise weakened. Such public sentiment as exists is divided among so many interests as to lack the force which a single united body would have. To expect the public in a single state or a single city to support half a dozen or more special oraganizations is entirely out of the question. The purpose of all of them is the same, the prevention of disease, but they have no common plan of campaign, nor any method by which such a common plan can be devised and executed. Such a conditions can only mean overlapping, duplication, waste effort and lack of efficiency. There exists, then, today an indefinite number of unco-ordinated, irrelated organizations which have originated accidentally rather than in conformity to any plan, which do not provide a place for the general public, which are organized on lines that are necessarily self-limiting and which are financed on a system which is highly expensive in proportion to the results secured. They are at present confusing quite as much as they are educating the newspapers and public opinion. The time has come for the creation of a united, coherent, and effectively organized public health body to take the place of, or at least to co-ordinate, the independent, accidental and uncorrelated organizations which have so far occupied the field. If anything definite is accomplished in public health reform, it must be through the education of the average man and woman rather than through the efforts of the physician, the specialist, or the sociologist. These must indeed act as leaders and furnish the necessary technical information and experience on which successful efforts must rest, but the rank and file of the public health army must be drawn from the public. An ideal organization would be one without limitations as to subject which any man or woman who desired could join by the payment of a nominal membership fee. A national organization made up of, and supported by, subordinate state organizations which are in turn composed of local branches, is the logical method in this country. Such a body could logically take up the much discussed question of the publication of a popular journal or magazine on public health. All the conditions point to the American Public Health Association as the one best fitted to fulfill this mission. Is it not possible for your association to become in fact, as well as name, a national public health association for the co-ordination of all of our voluntary public health activities?- Abst. The American Journal of Public Health, 1915. Good Teeth Essential to Good Health. According to the United State Public Health Service there will be a falling off in the sale of store teeth in the future, and plates and toothless gums will be seen less frequently than formerly. This is due to the epoch-making discovery of the cause and method of treating what is known to the scientist as pyorrhea dentalis and alveolaris and to the layman as Riggs' disease. This is a suppuration around the roots of the teeth and causes an inflammation which produces loosening and loss of the teeth. At one time or another practically everybody has Riggs' disease. It is caused by a minute singlecelled animal called the endamoeba buccalis. This malevolent parasite does its work in combination with the pus-producing bacteria or germs. The skillful teamwork between these two destroys the delicate membrane which surrounds the roots of the teeth and causes them to fall out. The necessity of good teeth in order to have good health has been recognized a long time, but the scientists of our country have only recently worked out the relationship between decay of the teeth and Riggs' disease on the one hand, and rheumatism, serious heart disease and high blood pressure on the other. So firmly have these facts been proven that the modern up-to-date physician begins the treatment of such diseases by an inquiry into the condition of the teeth and their sockets. If these are found to be diseased, the condition is cured before the treatment goes further. The discovery of the cause of Riggs' disease is, therefore, of the very greatest importance. Just as soon as the cause of Riggs' disease was found out, the search for the cure began in earnest. It had been previously discovered that the use of ipecac would cure the diseases which are caused by infection of the intestine with endamoebae. From this it was deduced that a similar treatment would cause the destruction of endamoebae in the mouth. This was found to be the case, and emetin, the form of the drug used, is now administered by physicians for the cure and prevention of the disease. It sometimes takes a considerable time to get rid of all of the malignant germs in this way but the results which have been obtained have been remarkably good. The treatment is both local and general. In the matter of preventing mouth disease, it is important that the mouth be cleaned several times a day, and that a dentist be visited. frequently to remove tartar and the yellowish matter which accumulates along the inner edges of the teeth and between the teeth. This is particularly important in the case of children, because it has been found that many a child is apparently dull who is in reality suffering from a chronic poisoning produced by a mouth full of decaying teeth. The number of sufferers from Riggs' disease in the United States is very large and the United States Public Health Service is daily receiving inquiries as to the method of curing and preventing the disease. Good Water for Farm Homes. Clear, sparkling water is not always pure water. A refreshing draught from "the old oaken bucket" may be the beginning of a long and possibly fatal illness from typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera or other disease. The subject of pure water supplies for drinking and cooking purposes is discussed in a bulletin just issued by the United States Public Health Service under the title "Good Water for Farm Homes." The germs of the so-called water-borne diseases come from the bodies of persons afflicted with those diseases. They do not live long outside the body and do not originate spontaneously in nature. A few diseases are communicated from animals to man, but for the most part the germs which get into drinking water and produce disease, come only from human beings. If we keep the waste products from the bodies of human beings and animals away from our water supplies, we keep the water free from disease germs. The usual sources of farm water supplies are wells, springs and cisterns. Running streams are so seldom free from dangerous pollution that without purification they cannot often be considered safe for domestic use. The most common form of supply is the shallow well, reaching into a layer of earth staurated with water. Few of these are fed by flowing streams, except in limestone formations, and they are really little more than reservoirs for "surface water." Since they drain the surface for a radius of sometimes several hundred feet, their location with reference to stables, out-houses and stock pens is a matter of prime importance. Other possible sources of pollution are a leaky or loose well casing, a defective curb, or a cover that is not watertight. The best methods of constructing such wells and protecting their contents are set forth in this bulletin of the Public Health Service. Artesian wells, driven wells, cisterns and natural springs are also discussed in this publication, and safe-guards against pollution pre scribed. It is sometimes impossible to secure pure water for drinking and cooking, and methods of purification must be adopted. It should be borne in mind also that once a safe supply is obtained, its purity is insured only by the continued observance of the principles of common sense and common cleanliness. These are neither difficult nor expensive. Fourth of July Tetanus. The American people have reason to congratulate themselves over at least one achievement, and that is the rapid disappearance of Fourth of July tetanus. While the total casualties of the glorious day are less than a quarter what they were five years ago the deaths from tetanus have shown a much greater reduction. In 1903 there were 417 Fourth of July victims of that dread malady, in 1909 the number had been reduced to 130, while from last season's celebration there were but 3. This is life conservation in the true sense of the term. "Why not entirely eliminate the disease this year?" asks the United States Public Health Service. The blank cartridge wound is the great cause of Fourth of July tetanus. When driven into the tissues the wadding carries with it innumerable bacilli, and the absorption of the poisonous products given off during the growth of these organisms produces the disease. The bacilli thrive only in the absence of oxygen. It is for this reason that the physician enlarges the wound of inlet and after removing all foreign material, dresses the injury in such a manner that development of the organisms is inhibited. In order to accomplish this it is usually necessary to administer a general anaesthetic. Anti-tetanic serum is of great value as a prophylactic measure, but it should be given soon after the receipt of the injury. Parents should realize that Fourth of July tetanus is easy to prevent but extremely difficult to cure. No blank cartridge wound is too trivial to receive careful medical attention. However slight the injury may appear, summon a physician and at once adopt energetic measures. Reliance upon home treatment may prove disastrous and result in the sacrifice of life. In 1903, before the widespread recognition of the possibilities of preventive treatment, one case of tetanus developed to every 4 blank cartridge wounds reported; in 1914, there was but 1 case to every 40 such injuries. This is the measure of the success of preventive treatment. REPORT OF THE HYGIENIC LABORATORIES, OHIO STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, FOR THE MONTH ENDING JUNE 30, 1915. Diphtheria: Positive 43, negative 125, suspicious 9.. Tuberculosis: Positive 101, negative 226..... Typhoid: Positive 14, negative 45, atypical 4.. Para-typhoid B, partial 1... Malaria: Negative 2, unsatisfactory 2. Rabies Positive 18, negative 10, unsatisfactory 4.. Total diagnostic Existing water supply 68, proposed water supply 11. Typhoid and quality.. Sanitary Survey 15.. Columbus tap 24.. Trade Waste 2.. Miscellaneous 1... Total water Total number of examinations classified as above... 177 327 63 1 4 32 7 611 79 95 15 24 2 1 216 827 |