Date: August 9, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
(Original document available here)
Good health is one our chief national assets. Yet, in spite of all the progress that has been made in the science of hygiene, the yearly losses in this country from the ravages of disease run into many hundreds of millions of dollar.
The discouraging feature of the situation is that much of this is needless. With the present knowledge of medicine, surgery and dentistry and the possibilities of preventive measures, oftentimes illness is only personal carelessness.
People give altogether too little attention to their health. They neglect to get sufficient fresh air and exercise. They are not careful enough of their diet. They overstrain their physical and nervous systems, with disastrous results.
Because illness makes us a liability to ourselves, our family and our community, we all have a personal obligation to keep well. To neglect the health is one of the most wasteful things a person can do. It is a violation of a moral duty. While both state and national agencies are alert to preserve health, the real success of all their efforts lies in the vigilance of the individual. If we would all think and try to live healthful lives we would greatly increase the power of the nation.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Fr. Stephen Lawson who prepared this document for digital publication.