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consult a dentist, and as a consequence all those diseases classified
under Rheumatism would soon become less frequent and possibly
eventually disappear. Rheumatic fever, the common forerunner
of heart disease, in childhood is often due to enlarged tonsils, but
defective teeth no doubt also play a part. Were space not a consideration,
I could go through dozens of common diseases like
coughs, " colds," etc., which can be largely reduced, if not eliminated,
by intelligent instruction as to their causes and prevention.
Having shown the necessity of education the next thing is to
explain how it may be carried out. Up to the present the work of
education and propaganda has been mostly in the hands of voluntary
societies, and although a few authorities have made sporadic attempts
to spread a knowledge of certain diseases, such as Tuberculosis,
Cancer and Venereal Diseases, no systematic and sustained attempt
at general health propaganda has yet been taken by any Sanitary
Authority, and the object of this report is to try and stimulate the
Council to do some pioneer work in this, as they have done in other
departments of preventive medicine.
With this end in view, the Council has already started a Propaganda
Department, the present staff being Dr. D. M. Connan,
Deputy Medical Officer of Health (in charge), and one whole-time
Clerk, and a separate office has been provided with the necessary
equipment. Other members of the staff, including the Municipal
Dental Surgeon, the Chief Clerk, etc., are also taking an active
part in advancing the scheme decided on by the Council. The scheme
submitted to the Council embraced the following methods : —
(1) Leaflets.
(2) Advertisements.
(3) Electric Signs.
(4) Town Hall Lectures.
(5) Open Air Demonstrations.
(6) The Establishment of a Central Office of Information.
(1) Leaflets.
These should be short and of fairly large print, illustrated and
of single page, so as to render it easy for the reader to see at a glance