418 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



due undoubtedly to other infectious diseases; a large 

 number of the cases of heart disease beginning in those 

 above forty are due to syphilis. We hope that the active 

 campaign being waged by the various Public Hygiene 

 Associations for venereal diseases will have its effect 

 on preventing the increase in heart disease. We also 

 hope that the campaign for combating heart diseases will 

 decrease the incidence of this disease in the young. Tn 

 the report previously mentioned it was hinted very 

 strongly that the patients did not remain in the hospital 

 long enough. That is true not only of cardiacs but also 

 of those suffering from infectious diseases. We do not 

 at present have a long enough convalescence for our 

 acute diseases, chiefly because we haven't room enough 

 in our hospitals for our acute cases and because we 

 haven't enough convalescent homes. We stated in the 

 beginning that patients with heart disease occupied a 

 very large proportion of beds in our hospitals. If we 

 had a place for our cardiacs there would be more room 

 in our acute hospitals ; we consequently could keep our 

 infectious disease cases for an adequate time and pre- 

 vent some cases of future heart disease. Thus we have 

 not a vicious but a beneficient circle. 



It is well known that rheumatism, the greatest cause of 

 heart disease, follows most frequently an acute tonsilitis, 

 as does scarlet fever. We hope, then, to prevent heart 

 disease by removing the tonsils in those subject to fre- 

 quent attacks of tonsilitis. Some also hope to prevent 

 heart disease by removal of teeth, but I cannot, from 

 what I have observed, subscribe to that. Naturally bad 

 teeth need proper care no matter where found. 



From these facts, you must see that Heart Disease is a 

 Public Health Problem from all points of view. I cannot 

 close without telling what we hope will be the final out- 

 come of our education of the public. 



We hope to have what I choose to call a cardiac centre. 

 Here in some pleasant spot with large acreage, conven- 

 iently near transportation, we shall have, first, a Heart 

 Hospital. In another part of the grounds will arise a 

 Convalescent Home, in close contact with which will be 

 our workshops, where our cardiac if necessary may learn 



