The human body and health : an elementary text-book of essential anatomy, applied physiology and practical hygiene for schools

Preface

The most noted of England's prime ministers said, "The first duty of the statesman is the health of the people." One of our own statesmen asserts that the greatest asset of this nation is the health of its citizens. Inasmuch as recent science has shown clearly the cause and prevention of many diseases, it is important that this knowledge should form a part of every individual's equipment for the duties of life. The greatest enemies of the human race are microbes, which annually lay prostrate in this country and Europe seventy million people, of whom three million die. The microbes feeding on human blood have caused the destruction of armies and the downfall of a nation. On this account a knowledge of these infinitely small forms of life is of vast importance.

Since the foundation of many diseases is laid during childhood, and since new ideas are accepted most readily in youth, every boy and girl during school years should be carefully and thoroughly instructed as to the cause of human wretchedness and the means of preventing it. The numerous textbooks on elementary physiology have largely neglected the discussion of facts relating to public health. As a result not one in a hundred graduates of our public schools could state any evidence showing whether vaccination is beneficial or harmful, or describe how malaria, diphtheria, and yellow fever are acquired, and how they may be prevented.

The pupils have spent much time in learning meaningless words, but when information is sought concerning the evidence that typhoid fever is caused by drinking polluted water they remain silent. A pupil is rarely found who can state clearly how the fact has been established that bacteria produce dis-

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ease. In consequence very many do not yet believe that disease is preventable, and so pay little heed to the laws made by the state for the vi^elfare of its people.

The facts that in this country nearly one hundred persons die daily of typhoid fever and four times as many from tuberculosis, and that these diseases are largely preventable, are unknown to most public school pupils. As a result the people continue to use bad air, bad water, and bad food. Holmes wrote fifty years in advance of his age : —

" God gave his creatures light and air And water open to the skies ; Man locks him in a stifling lair And wonders why his brother dies."

This book contains a sufficient amount of anatomy to enable the pupil to understand the physiology upon which is based much of the hygiene. Numerous original diagrams, drawings^ and halftones from photographs have been introduced to impress upon the learners the most important truths relating to the human machine. For many of the drawings, I am indebted to Professor W. H. Reese of Muhlenberg College.

A considerable number of pages have been given to a discussion of the effects of alcohol on human society, showing that its power for evil is far more marked in producing poverty and crime than in wrecking the physical health.

That a knowledge of practical hygiene does prevent waste of life, is shown by the fact that the death rate per thousand declined from thirty in 1870 to less than nineteen in 1905. Diphtheria, tuberculosis, yellow fever, and malaria claim fewer victims every decade, and when knowledge such as these pages afford reaches all our citizens, the vital records will show a still more rapid decrease in the death rate.