New agricultural chemicals are being introduced frequently.
They are of value in killing weeds, enriching the soil, eradicating insects and
rodents, and cleaning animal areas. But they must be used with care, following
manufacturers' directions to the letter. In case of any question, however
seemingly unimportant, your county agricultural agent or health department can
advise and help.
Be especially careful about handling or breathing chemicals.
If you have to dispose of any unused portions, bury them in containers. Don't
burn them, since they may release harmful fumes; and don't bury them in the
ground unpackaged, since they may contaminate water supplies. Rural Medical
Facilities Comprehensive hospital facilities, specialized medical equipment,
and the advice of medical and surgical specialists are not readily available in
most farming communities.
Your own physician, like any other physician, cannot
be expected to handle every conceivable type of medical and surgical problem.
He will advise consultation with a specialist when necessary. For serious
illness he will also help arrange for you to be admitted to the nearest medical
center when necessary.
And when he deems it essential, you should make every effort
to get the best specialized medical care even if it means taking a trip of
several hundred miles to the nearest medical center or specialist.
The fact is,
as emphasized throughout this book, that good medical care today, when begun at
the proper time, can do much not only to provide relief for a problem but also
can include measures which, even if they are unable sometimes to cure, can
retard or arrest a disease process so it does not progress relentlessly. This
is a major function of preventive medicine.
