Camden Courier-Post – January 13, 1928
Health Head Says It Gives False Sense of Security
Fumigation as a method of preventing disease was discounted by Dr. Arthur L. Stone, city health director, in talk yesterday before the Y's men's Club at the Hotel Walt Whitman.
“It gives a false sense of security,” he declared. “It kills only the germs upon the surface. As a matter of fact diseases are carried by individuals, and spread by contact of persons.
“Modern public health does not depend upon safeguard of the environment, but upon safeguard of the individual. It does little good to choose methods for fumigation, when the disease may be spread by some individual who carries the bacteria.”
Dr. Stone took as his subject “Secrets of Health.” He pointed vaccination as the only certain way to immunize persons against disease. Smallpox and typhoid fever now are controlled by antitoxins, and diphtheria is well on the way to control. He said that a serum for scarlet fever soon may be discovered.
As a result of his vaccination activities here Dr. Stone predicted that the city will soon have “army of immune children.” More than 10,000 children have been vaccinated against diphtheria, and there will be more as soon as parents learn to lose their fear of the treatment, he said.
Prevention of infantile disease has cut the country's death rate more than any other source, he declared. Much of the decrease can be ascribed to pre-natal educational work among mothers.
He asserted that playgrounds play an important part in brain development as well as muscular development. Brain development parallels development of the muscular tissues and a sound body is necessary for sound thinking, be stated, reverting to an old maxim.
Although 80 percent of children are born healthy by the time they reach their majority, 10 percent of them are defective in some way, according to the health officer. Inability of humans to take care of themselves was given as the reason.
Prior to Dr. Stone’s talk, the club distributed prizes won in a recent bowling tournament. First prize went to Jim Burroughs; second prize, to Winfield S. Wilson; third, Horace Sherman, and fourth, Robert McCay.
It was announced that the club's bowling team will compete with the Woodbury Kiwanis Club team in that city tonight. On January 3rd the Y's Men's team will bowl the Woodbury Y's Men's Club team.
Join the discussion!