Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-04
DIR. p. II. BRYCr's PAPER.

DR. J, n. NJ cobMAcK. vent consumption?
DIR. p. II. BRYcE's PAPER.
The discussion was opened by a learned and
thorough paper by DR.. P. H. Bryce of Toronto.
Ont. He thought that after the investigations
be little doubt that tuberculosis is . zymotic
disease, to be placed in the same category
as leprosy and CHAMBERS, inoculable. and hence
contagious. The segregation Of animals afflicted
with glanders does much to prevent its gem
eral spread among other animals, and one
might imagine an ideal state of civilization
wherein cases Of phthisis could be separated
from the unaffected people. As the disease Is
more studied and better understood the less
credence is placed in the dangers from heredity
and more from contact.
TREMENDOUS PREVALENCE OF PHTHIsIs.
DIR. Bryce read q number Of statistics show
ing the tremendous prevalence of the disease
and the fact that while in the country and
rural districts the disease is to be found one
case to every thousand, while in crowded cities
it is as two to the thousand. tuberculosis is
not necessarily confined to the human race,
and there is even a constant danger arising
from the use Of milk from cows that
are afflicted with tuberculosis. Milk from dis
eased cows has been inoculated into guinea
pigs and eight per cent of them developed the
disease. as did also large number of pigs that
were fed upon such milk Toussaint in the
French congress stated that ak per cent of all
cattle are tuberculous In Saxony il has been
proved that as animals grow older they are more
liable TO tuberculosis more than half of the
being cattle above the age of six years. This
is a strong element of proof that the disease
is contagious. Another thing that proves this
also Is the fact that in Germany it has been
noted that when the disease increases among
the animals II also increases among human
beings at the same rate, while the rate of de-
crease is the same In both cases.
WHY IT Attacks THE POORER CLASSES.
As to the prevalence of the disease among
the poorer classes notably in the crowded dis
tricts in London, DIR. Bryce said it is due to
the overcrowding. in unsuitable quarters with
unnutritious food. Liability TO the disease
arising from insufficient nutrition does
not cease with the teething period. With
small children in cities the milk used
for their food is bought in small quantities,
cheap and heavily diluted, and after the pur-
chase this milk is likely to be diluted with
water. SO that it is impossible to say how much
nutritive quality there is in the food. The
disease among such people is largely attribut-
able to the marasmus arising from insufficient
food of poor quality.
In England the proportion Of disease among
women Is much larger than Ii is among men,
showing the dangers arising from confinement
indoors.
The nature of the occupation pursued, espe-
cially in the case Of adults taken in connection
with the ventilation and condition of the quar-
tiers occupied, has a very large influence in the
matter Of the prevalence of the disease. Soil
and climate also enter largely an element of
cause. Ground water is an important factor in
the prevalence Of consumption and in certain
parts of England, where the subsoil has been
drained, it has been noted that the death rate
has fallen about SO per cent.
HIS CONCLUSIONS
81, xta
Of phthisis DIR. Bryce made Introductory to GER
tain results which he laid down. First. that
phthisis is G contagious disease. Second that
on the assumption that that is true as health
officers it was the duty of the society to treat
it as such. Third. that the treatment of the
disease has in it all the characteristics
OF sanitary crusade. To deal
with the disease successfully it is necessary to
go at it in a preventative way as in treating
dphtheria and other such diseases by remov-
ing the cause. The habits and lives of those
affected should be SO regulated that they will
not endanger the health and lives of those not
affected, and hospitals and sanitaria should be
established where the disease can be properly
treated. The houses of the people should be
better arranged, ventilated. heated and drained,
and there would be much less liability to the
disease.
In cases OF consumption DR.. Bryce said he
had no idea of recommending isolation in the
sense that diphtheria is isolated, bus he did
think that when it became known that q case of
phthisis had developed in a dwelling or fac
tory it was full time that tho sanitary officers
should have the right and it should be
their duty to step in and regulate the sanitary
arrangements Of the house or building. Cura-
tive institutions for the treatment of consump-
tiyes must be in their nature essentially sani-
taria, where pure life can be led with plenty
of outdoor exercise under favorable circum-
stances.
DIR. VAUGHN DISCUSSES THE SUBJECT.
DR.. Vaughn Of Ann Arbor University Mich.
continued the discussion in an interesting ex-
tempore talk in which he said he agreed with
everything DR.. Bryce had said. They must all
agree that the disease is a contagious
one caused by the tubercular bacillus,
but there s, is another eemen, that
ease. We have all inhaled these bacilli
and yet the majority of us have not developed
consumption. The germ is far more likely to
be transmitted by the sputa and discharges, and
he said it was their duty to teach the people
the value and necessity of disinfectants. lie
disagreed with DR.. Bryce in that he favored
the segregation of cOnsumptives in state
hospitals, and he said that in his
opinion if such cases could be isolated the dis
ease could be completely eradicated. DR..
as much danger to be feared from infected
cattle as is generally thought to be the case.
DIR. BALcH on SANITATION
DR.. Louis Baich Of the New York state board
Of health spoke in favor of efforts being made
by the boards of health in the line of improved
santa ton in houses and towns Isolation OF
diseased patients 10 all very pretty in theory
and would probably be very effective in
practice, but it cannot possibly be done
The people will not submit to ii at all. He
told Of the difficulty he had met with in rem0y-
ing smallpox patients to smallpox hospitals.
Frequently it had to be done with police as
sistance at time when the infected house was
surrounded by a mob, who threatened violence
to himself and his assistants. Yet this was in
the case Of smallpox, D disease dreaded by
them all II this was the experience with
that disease what would IL not be with a
disease like consumption?
OTHER DOCTORS GIVE THEIR VIEWS.
DR.. Cochran, DIR. Solomon, DR.. Hamilton,
DR.. Avery and DR.. Reeve also made remarks
upon the phases Of this subject Dr.. Solomon
told of a case in Louisiana where Q family
moved into q house where consumptive bad
died. The father occupied the room and died
Of the disease within two years. Then q son
moved in and he also died, ss did another.
different branch Of the family moved in
and the two cons who occupied the room both
died. while people who occupied other parts Of
the house escaped. The room was disinfected.
the walls scraped and rekalsomined, since which
time the house had been free.
Or. Hanau spoke Of the danger that msy
arise from sanifaria becoming centers from
which the diseass may radfate.