100 Years Ago: Sept. 26-Oct. 3

From The Indianapolis News, Friday, October 2, 1914: Indianapolis marked state-wide observance of “Disease Prevention Day” this afternoon with a parade through downtown streets seen by thousands of people. Armies of rats, cockroaches, bedbugs, fleas and other vermin laying siege on city households and the flies, mosquitoes, and millions of death dealing germs which infest the air must have felt a trifle insecure at the spectacle of the great health parade. Fifty floats and eighteen decorated automobiles with mottoes in red letters proclaiming “Health is Wealth,” “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth Pounds of Cure,” and “Preventable Disease Costs Indianapolis $3,000,000 (2013: $68,773,448.27) Annually” passed by business houses decorated with flags and show windows displaying special exhibits of health articles – fly swatters, drug supplies, etc. This is the city’s first great public demonstration in favor of disease prevention.