Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-09-01
Is Consumption Contagious !

II our medical journals were to an
nounce the steady approach to this
conntly-say from China--of an ill-uu-
derstood, painful anu usually fatal mai :
ady, which If once established among
us would certainly kill half million Of
oar citizens every year and ultimately
carry of one III every five of the entire
population, it is safe to presume that
Tho announcement would not be calmly
received. As one man. physicians not
lsas streruously than iaymen, we should
demand the most rigorous quarantine
against the infected country. No effort
would he accounted too heroic, no pre-
caution too costly, to shield our country
IRON 80 disastrous an invasion. And if
there were any doubt as to the specific
nature of the threatened plague or of the
mode OF Its transmission or inception,
neither onr medical ana sanitary socie-
ties nor the Government would rest I'M
I'll competent commissions were sent 10
investigate the matter. 1t would be ac-
counted criminal indifference on the
part OF medical and sanitary authorities
TO neglect to make concerted and per-
sistent effort to discover the causes and
conditions of the plague, and how to
protect the community from its ravages
Or to cure its victims when attacked.
Would the urgency of the case be
diminished in any respect by the cir
cumstance that the supposed invasion
had already become fact accom-
Pushed?
At first thought, any one would re-
ply Not IN the least rather ON the
contrary; for the evil in the latter case
would be actual, not threatened merely,
and the loss OF saving of half million
lives year is a matter OF the gravest
national Importance. Yet it is n singular
fact that, while we should be thrown into
panic if half million lives were
Threatened with Row disease, we ac-
cept as inevitable. almost with indiffer-
ence, he certain klllingof that member Of
people every year by an old and familiar
malady. And our medical authorities
tell us, without a twlnge of professional
pride, that they really do not know pos
| itiyely how consumption is induced and
transmitted, or whether it Is communi-
cable from the sick to the well or not
and, worse yet, they confess without
blushing that they do not contemplate
any special or general effort to have
such mOmentous questions critically in
vestioated
When half million of disconnected
natives OF Europe throng TO our shores
IN II single year we do not fail to appre-
ciate the importance of the gain, both
immediate and prospective. When a
larger number Of our own citizens are
cut off untimely by disease which,
while it destroys them, transmits leg
Z Tal nj pff Il /,
To their descendants, we mourn our in
dividual losses, but make no adequate
flort to put an end TO the national loss
by urging or aiding the scientific deter
mination of its conditions, causes and
remedies. Already one in every five Of
our population dies Of consumption. and
the indications are that the conditions Of
our civilization tend 10 increase the death
rate from tins cause. Ii the disease is
infectious, as many believe, the multi
| phcation of cases may sooner or later
reach point-if its progress is I'M
checked-at which Il polpetuation of our
race and the civilization developed by it
will become impossible. Other races
and civilizations have disappeared, leav-
ing no explanation of the secret Of their
decline. Other. we have good reasons
! for believing, have been exterminated
by plaques peculiar to them, developed.
III all probability, by something peculiar
TO their modes of living.
That there is any imminent danger Of
so disastrous result TO our race and CIV
! ilIzation from the increase of consump-
ton, no one but an alarmist would sup
pose; still it remains an impending pos
sibility, more especially if there is any
| error III the common belief that the dis
ease is not contagious or infectious. -
| Scientific american.