Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1914 — DR. HURTY DESCRIBES AN UNHEALTHY HOME [ARTICLE]

DR. HURTY DESCRIBES AN UNHEALTHY HOME

Tells of Farm Residence That Was An Inehbator for Typhoid— The Cost of Sickness. Dr. J. N. Hurty, state health commissioner, who is fighting disease as an employe of the state, believes that aside from the pain and loss of life there is a big economic loss when a family is swept by disease. He emphasizes-his' belief, that the farmer or banker who watches carefully bver the health of his hogs or the prosperity of his neighborhood should for the same pecuniary reason insist on precautions against diseases in the human family. He gives the following example of financial loss from sickness: Smith ((nd Family. (By Dr. J. N. Hurty.) His name was Smith. He lived in Indiana. He was a farmer. His house was built flat upon the ground. •No underneath ventilation. There was a small cellar. It was musty. Vegetables, rotten and unrotten, were stored in it. The house was heated by an “air-tight” stove. All windows were fastened down. AH window cracks were calked with rags. The barn was 328 feet from the kitchen door. There was a big pile of manure against the barn. There were maggots in the manure. Flies, thousands of flies, were born in the manure. In the barnyard were cows and pigs. They waded in barnyard pulp. Just 53 feet from the kitchen door was a privy. It was dilapidated. Clouds of flies surrounded it. Under the back porch was a dug well. Smith didn’t know its depth. An old sock was stretched over the pump spout. It was there to strain out worms and little water bugs. The water had a funny taste. A garbage tub stood just outside the kitchen door. There were maggots in it. Flies were born by the thousands. One day Smith’s daughter came down with typhoid fever. A doctor was employed. (Medicines were purchased. Mrs. Smith did the nursing. She also cooked for her husband, her son and a hired man. Mrs. Smith was worn out. She took typhoid. The daughter died. Mrs. Smith died. The son took typhoid. He survived. When Mrs. Smith took down a nursa was employed. She stayed after Mrs. Smith died to nurse the son. The cost. Doctor bills $4lO. Nurse $l4O. Medicines $23.60. Two funerals $416. Court vallue of the mother’s life (average court judgment) $4,600. Court value of the daughter’s life, $5,000. Loss of time (estimated) S3OO. Total $10,889.60. Does it pay to be insanitary? Does induced sickness and early death tend to produce health and happiness?