On the Necessity of More Stringent Laws and Stricter Enforcement of Existing Ones for Public Health

Abstract

Superintendent and Resident Physician, Boston City Hospital. ¿o an intelligent observer, a high death-rate argues something wrong in the social and economic conditions°f a country. Florence Nightingale, in writing to the People of India says, "There is so constant a relation between the health of a people, and their social civilization, that, alas! one of the best indications of the social state of populations is afforded by the number who die year by year." Public health is an important factor in the prosperity ;l'id happiness of every community, and yet, only within very recent years have the laws and regulations pertaining to it received proper attention. In a more or less general way, Dominions and States, from time to time, have recognized certain influences as harmful to the people. Laudable endeavors to mitigate these evila have created many laws and ordinances. Too often they were vague and conflicting, and sometimes they were inoperative because not efficiently executed.| he measures adopted proved inadequate as a remedy.Within twenty-five years civilized nations have put forth vigorous efforts to intelligently codify effectual laws regarding public health, aud the result has been a parked decrease in mortality. Even so advanced and intellectual a nation as England did not enact health 'aws until 1848. The mass of incongruous and connicting statutes were not recodified and made capable