--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 27 number: 1 published: 1923-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "How Much Do You Care?", *Improvement Era* 27, no. 1 (November 1923): 73.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2701unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2701unse start_page: 73 end_page: 73 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1923-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2701unse publication_year: 1923 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1923, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # How Much Do You Care? HOW MUCH DO YOU CARE? ' How much do you care that tuberculosis caused 1,173 deaths in Utah during the last six years? That the majority of these were children and young men and women between the ages of 20 and 40? That, according to the clinical survey made in the state, there are practically nine people suffering with the disease to every death? That many of these people do not know what is the matter with them and consequently infect other members of their family and people with whom they come in contact, spreading the disease over a vast territory? That those who do know they are tuberculous are ignorant of the proper home treatment which will make theirs an arrested case? How much do you care that out of 2,858 people examined by the traveling clinic, 75 6 were diagnosed as having acute tuberculosis, that of this number, 317 were men in the most active and useful years of their life? How much do you care that Utah is one of the three states in the Union which by law has made no provision for the care of its tuberculous? The only means Utah has of combatting the scourge is through the efforts of the Utah Public Health Association, the branch organization of the Na- tional Tuberculosis Association. Like the ostrich which buries its head in the sand and refuses to recognize the presence of danger, many people refuse to admit there is a menace of tuberculosis or even its presence within the state. When the number of cases are called to their attention, they declare they are non-residents of the state, yet the clinical survey shows that of the 2,858 tuberculous residents, the majority were native to the state, and most of the others came to the state in childhood. Only 26 had been in Utah less than ten years. Aside from these startling figures, proving conslusiyely the stronghold of the enemy in our midst, many of the afflicted families are brought to the point of acute destitution. Families so brought to the poverty line are almost more difficult to relieve adequately than families suffering from any other cause. This is because tuberculosis is a long-term disease. A few dollars handed such people does not strike at the root of the trouble, but instruction in the care of their sick, instruction in preventive methods so that others will not contract it, will eventually remove the source of their trouble and eradicate it from the community. Teachers, doctors, surveys, home visits, and literature will help such cases, and such methods are em- ployed by the Utah Public Health Association in its campaign for health and happiness. Success comes from the combined cooperation of men, women, children and money. The most direct way for the average citizen to help is to buy Christmas Seals to the utmost. The Christmas Seal sale is the only method the Utah Public Health Association has of raising funds for the campaign. The Christmas Seals are the little bearers of health to thee and thine, to me and mine. How much do you care? — Utah Public Health Association. "Nor love, nor honor, nor wealth, nor power Can give the heart a cheerful hour, When health is lost. Be timely wise; With health all taste of pleasure flies." — Gay.