The Conservation of Health. 
J. H. L. CUMPSTON, M.D., D.P.H.* 
The spirit of scientific inquiry is abroad to-day. The world, startled 
into realization by the demands of peoples, intent on destroying their 
neighbours, for weapons of greater and still greater precision, has come 
to recognise that reliable facts in any field can only be discovered by 
those patient and laboriously accurate methods collectively known as 
science. 
Scientific investigation has at last attained its place, at least in so 
far as that paramount human impulse—the destruction of other humans 
—is concerned. 
Tt can, however, hardly be hoped, that the human people, generally, 
will, within any reasonable time, become endowed with that character- 
istic inheritance of the true scientist—the faculty of prevision. 
These two great principles, accurate investigation according to 
accepted -scientific rules, and anticipatory provision against imminent 
ill, form the foundation of preventive medicine, as it should be. 
If preventive medicine has not entirely satisfied these conditions, it 
may, at least, be claimed that considerable progress has been made along 
these lines, and, moreover, that the structure now being built has been 
commenced on these foundations. 
In any discussion of the application of that branch of science known 
- as Preventive Medicine to Industry, it is necessary to clear away certain 
popular mistakes, and to define what preventive medicine includes, and 
what results are possible. 
The present general conception of public health is very limited, and 
is restricted almost entirely to the*exercise of “police powers” by the 
State in regard to matters of environment, #.e., such unclean conditions 
external to the individual as are presumed to encourage ill-health, and 
to the control of persons found to be affected with some infectious or 
contagious disease. It is true that there are certain other matters 
which are now receiving some attention, e.g., the control of midwives, 
and the medical inspection of school children; but such important 
matters as baby clinies have not yet been adopted as definite functions 
of State. f 
The modern Health Department should be concerned with all matters 
which favorably or adversely affect the health and physical welfare of 
the people, and should be actively concerned with keeping people well, 
rather than with keeping their back yards clean, or imprisoning them 
in quarantine when. an infectious disease occurs. Not that it is to be 
thought that these things are unnecessary. They will always be neces 
sary, but they should take their place as, at the most, equal to, and, 
better, as secondary in importance to, the well-being of the individual. 
Every person’s life is mainly spent under two sets of conditions— 
the place where he earns his livelihood, and the place where he eats, 
sleeps, and rests. 
* Director of Quarantine. 
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