278 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



and food supply, which has so much to do with the standard 

 of health. It would have been impossible to attain dis- 

 tinction as a health center if our streets had remained a 

 quagmire, and Lincoln Square a hog wallow. 



5 — Coming down to our present city, in attempting to 

 lay a finger on the things which have contributed to its 

 health, and more especially to the health of the child, one be- 

 comes bewildered with the multitude of things, which 

 though playing only an infinitesimal part, might have 

 turned the balance against us. 



I would put first and at the top of the list, without 

 which it would be useless for any city to hope to attain 

 distinction either in raising babies, or selling municipal 

 water bonds, CIVIC AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT. I con- 

 sider this so fundamental and important that I am almost 

 tempted to stop right here that you might have this first 

 essential riveted to your memory. 



The paragraph just read is the important part of my 

 message; the details can be worked out by any community 

 backed by the above spirit. This, I think, is the real secret 

 of Decatur's record. I fully recognize however that excel- 

 lent work had to be done by the various organizations, city 

 officials and many individuals, a few of which I wish to 

 mention after enumerating the Machinery operating for 

 better health in Decatur and Macon County, as tabulated 

 by the Red Cross Survey. 



Private physicians in Decatur, 75-80. 



Private physicians outside Decatur, 17. 



Decatur Medical Association. 



Graduate nurses in city and county, 80. 



County physician. 



City Department of Public Health and Safety. 



Commissioner. 



Director of Public Health (Physician resigned May 1, 



1920.) 

 Assistant Health Ofl[icer. 

 Sanitary Officer. 

 Milk Inspector. 



