DEFENSIVE HYGIENE--COURSE 151

 

T. INTRODUCTORY

 

General hygiene has been described by Storey as "the accumulation of
scientific facts...-econcerning the sequences of cause and effect that im-
prove, modify, conserve, or defend health.”

Constructive hygiene includes those relations that produce, maintain,
or improve health.

Defensive hygiene will concern itself particularly with those influ-
ences that prevent disease or protect and defend the individual or group
against injury or destruction.

In order to understand the full significance of defensive hygiene, it
will be necessary for the student to become familiar with the modern con-
ception of disease, its causes, treatment, and methods of transmission;
methods of prevention of physical, chemical and mechanical injuries; and
the defensive measures egainst hereditary disease and defect.

II. VITAL STATISTICS AND DEFENSIVE HYGISNE

 

Vital statistics in order to be of value should be studied critically.
It is necessary to know the nature and source of the original data and the
method and unit of tabulation.

In constructive hygiene certain statistical facts were presented as
general evidence for the need of a hygiene program. In the present course
we need to study them as a basis fora defensive programe

For purpeses of study the various vital statistical tables should be
studied to determine how much of the disease, defect and death is prevent-
able or postponable. This will involve not only an analysis of the various
rates but also a cmsidevation of our knowledge of the cause and possibili-
ties of nrevention.

Mortality Statistics.

 

The study of the causes of death by cause will furnish valuable infor~
mation as to the general directions in which defensive hygiene is most need~
ed. It is varticularly important to review mortality statistics since the
time of the development of the modern public health movement.

Review the 10 most frequent causes of death in the U. S. Classify them
as to their preventability.

Infant Mortality is one of our important problems. Where does the U.
S. stand? Why?

 

Maternal Mortality. Compare mternal mortality in the U. S. with that
in other countries. Look up causes of maternal mortality.

 

References: Mortality Statistics--U. S. Census {Document Room).
Barker and Sprunt-—Degenerative Diseases, Parts 1 and 3
McLaughlin--Communicable Diseases, Chapters 1 and oe
Moore, H. He--Public Health in Use S., Chapter 2.