Proceedings of the quarter-centennial celebration of the establishment of the Michigan State Board of Health : held at Detroit, Michigan, August 9, 1898.

Michigan. State Board of Health

Date:: 1898

Credit: Proceedings of the quarter-centennial celebration of the establishment of the Michigan State Board of Health : held at Detroit, Michigan, August 9, 1898. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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$<,>UARTKR-('KNTKNNIAL ClCr.KBRATION \VII>LIA-\1 RA1M-:V. M. |).. LOl ISVII.LK, KY. l’Ki;.SI l)i;XT Ol’ I'llK STATK UU AUI* Ol’ IIKAI/ni. 1 luivc no j)a])oi'—liave liad no time to prejtaie one; bat I present the eonj^i'atnlations of Kentneky ii])on this occasion, to the Michigan State Hoard ot Ilealtli uj)on its sncc(‘ssful eonijdelion of its twent^’-tive years of l)hilan1hroj)ic labor. Jvnowing .Micliigan, knowing its delightful climate, its great lakes, its beautiful cities and the hospitable people, I was de- lighted to come to this (2uarter-(.’entennial (’(debration, in fact I came several days ago, and have been enjoying myself to the utmost ever since I caiiK*. As to the tonic, which your rresid(‘iit sugg('sts my State is famous for, I would remind .Mr. \V(dls that the Flats are broad, and 1 tind, after several days’ sojourn thei'e with some (d‘ .Michigan’s sanitarians, that the “tonic is e.\haust.e<l. I was siiri>rised to ht‘ar the climate* of .Michigan, its curative watei's, its great lakes and the innumerable (h'lightful r(*s<wts so mo(h*stly mentioned by your l‘resid(*nt. I am pr(*par(*d to be more enthusiastic, for the gi'eat e.\j)ans(* of blue water, the (tool pure breey.es, the delightfully-tempered climate* and the more; than delightful jdaces of r(*st for the tired and sick impress nu* most jdeasantly. .M\ visits to .Michigan have b(*en most de- lightful. Tw(*nty-tive years ago I tirst caim* to this State seeking health and rest among the b(*aiitiful invigorating scenes, and th(*n I iu(*t Doctor (’onnor and Doctoi- denks. I first im*t a r(*]U‘(*sentativ(* of tin* .Michigan State Hoard of II(*alth in 1S7!) at A'ashville at the m(*eting of the .Ameri- can Public-Health Association; since* then I have* misse*d only one ni(.*et- ing, and some of these me*n have* be*en pre*sent at nearly jill of them. \\ e are indebted j>e*i haps to the State Hoaiel of .Massachusetts for being the* tirst establishe*d, and that Hoarel and the .Michigan State Hoard of Health I regard as chief in saiiitaiy matte*rs, and first in the* march of }>rogress for the imiirovenu'ut of the sanitary conditions of the pe*ople*. A our work is not limited to your own State*, and to the imjtrovemcnt of your own jeeople, but its intlm*nc(* is sjucael ove*r all the States, and is a source of encouragem(*nt to them, stimulating them to more success- ful labors, h*ading them in the jeaths of improve*d sanitation, and te*aching them what may re*sult from jK'rsiste'ut intellige'nt labor for the good of mankind. These sanitarians deserve success in their forward inai’ch against dis- e.use and death. Their e)pportunitie*s are* very great, and their re*sponsi- I give them God speed. bilities are in like degre'e. Chainnmi Wells—J\ is said of Ive'iitucky fliat “Its corn is full of kernels .\nd Colomds full of corn.” Doctor Bailey is not a colonel, and he* is fidl of good ideas, from whatev(*r source they nuiy come. Vhainunn ItV//.'?—Vital statistics are to the sanitarian what the balance sheet is to the merchant. Each, if correct, shows whether gains have lieem made or losses sustained. Vital statistics in Michigan are not collected by the State Board of Health, although it is re*(]uired by law to make diligent use of them. They are$