View report page

16
or to give him information about them, and these were
mostly in cases where probably 110 defects existed; but
we find, here and there, a certain mental temperament
which objects generally to anything like official or
governmental inquiry into what are considered private
matters. But of course this is a great mistake in our
case, because individual as well as the public health is
the object of our inspections. Some knowledge of the
nature of the various causes having influence on the
general health has removed, in most people, all objections
to sanitary inspections and inquiries; and increasing
information on the subject, will bring to the
knowledge of all, that preventive medicine is of more
importance than curative medicine. I have always
considered my appointment as Officer of Health, one of
the happiest circumstances of my professional life.
Having always thought that the great object of medical
science was rather the prevention than the cure of
disease, I cannot but feel gratified in having duties to
perform, the true objects of which are prevention of
disease, and the propagation of those laws upon which
the public health, as well as that of individuals, is to be
maintained.
It is the duty of Officers of Health to direct
attention to the means of maintaining health, but individual
efforts are also necessary for the full success of
such means. It is the duty of all, and more especially
of the heads of families, to make themselves acquainted
with the more important conditions on which health
may be improved and maintained. Plenty of fresh air,
cleanliness of house and person, moderation in eating
and drinking, proper ventilation of rooms and houses,
and a fair amount of exercise in the open air, are among
the primary laws of health. The most frequentlyneglected
of these laws is the ventilation of rooms; I
grant the difficulty where father, mother, and children
all sleep in one room. In a room thus occupied, the