PAPERS ON MEDICINE -\ND PUBLIC HEALTH 251 



fever 50%'; meningitis, 70%. For 15-19, similar except 

 whooping cough not reckoned. Estimate average prevent- 

 able, 50% or 4,200 at 5-9, 1,350 at 10-14, and 1,235 at age 

 15-19. Total deaths, 15-19 preventable about 24,000." 

 5-14, 33,500.5 



In 1918, 289.9 per 100,000 for influenza, 284.3 per 

 100,000 for pneumonia. Influenza, 3,517 cases and 396.6 

 deaths per 100,000 population, 112.7 per 1,000. $73,710,000 

 total cost for influenza 1918-19. Whooping cough 10,000 ; 

 ill 190,000. Scarlet fever, 9,000. Diphtheria and croup, 

 18,000 annually. Pneumonia, 132,400 lives annually. 



Pasteur has prophesied : "It is within the power of man 

 to rid himself of every parasitic disease." "Within natural 

 limitations a community can determine its own death 

 rate."6 



"Instructions in the methods of preventing disease should 

 be an essential part of our system of education and no in- 

 dividual should have completed his education without the 

 knowledge of how communicable diseases are spread and 

 prevented." 



To materially limit the incidents of these diseases, and 

 thereby preventing much of this loss, I desire to submit for 

 your consideration and, I trust your very earnest discus- 

 sion, what seems to me a very simple plan. 



My plan would be to have the school board of each com- 

 munity compel the teachers to familiarize themselves with 

 the easily recognized symptoms which occur in one or 

 more of these infections. 



Then have the superintendent of each school insist upon 

 an inspection of each pupil — every morning before classes 

 begin. Such inspection, according to the keenness of the ob- 



4. Fisher's .\verage and U. S. Mortality Statistics. 



5. U. S. Mortality Statistics and Fishe Preventable Table. 



6. Various OfDcial Pamphlets. 



