The Progress., 1893-11-18
DR.. AMICK'S DISCOVERY.
Isolation Of Consumption is Causing Wide
Spread Consideration
AMONG MANY THOUSAND cOnsUMPTVEs.
Merits Of the Project Argued by Prominent Physi-
cisns--The Action Of the Michigan
Board Of Health
The recent action of the Michigan

The recent action of the Michigan
State POard Of Health in placing con-
sumption on the list OF contagious
diseases and recurring safeguards TO
prev ent lis spread. is causing wide
spread newspaper discussion as to the
propriety of similar action in other
States.
Not only has the Michigan Board
of Health taken this radical step, but
the County Medical Society of Phila-
delphia has petitionel the Board OF
Health there to isolate cOnsumptivcs.
Tho Pan-American Congress also
passed resolution at the recent
Washington convention calling on the
National Government to take steps in
the same direction, even going so far
As TO ask President Cleveland TO give
his personal attention TO the matter.
The result has been that National,
State and civic authorities have been
appealed to, thereby causing cOnster-
nation TO thousands of cOnsumptives
m every State in the Union, who are
in terror lest they shou.J 5s to-.
from their homes and friends and
turned over to the especial hospit-
ais" which in reality will be pest
houses.
The turmoil which the proposition
has created, is steadily increasing,
and great wave Of opposition is APP
pe&ring.
i'riends OF consumptives declare
that if isolation of the patients is at
tempted in special hospitals, numer-
Gus outrages will result and that not
only will unfceling persons, who want
TO get rid OF sick relatives. dump them
upon the hospitals, but Vaccinations
viii arise of most evil character.
small tradesmen. for instance, af-
tlictcd by "a cough, may suddenly find
themselves moved out Of their COM
petitors' way, by judicial process
which will send them to the special
consumptivc hospital TO end their
davs.
some declare that while the appear
ance Of smallpox or cholera in the
land is the signal for immediate, wide
spread alarm, and the inauguration of
severe repressive measures, consump-
tion, which is always present and is
chronically epidemic. is allowed to
tako an unchecked course, the people
not realizing that it is far more deadly
than any other disease, and is slowly
but surely increasing its silent raw
ages. IL is claimed that as half of the
people who have consumption do no:
realize the fact, they spread false
confidence among their friends, who
carelessly allow themselves TO come
in contact with the victims, and are,
in turn. fatally infected.
The Herald commenting on this
subject, quotes the action of the Con-
gres de la Tuberculose. recently held
in Paris, in which the following reso-
luton was adopted;
I'm view OF the fact that life in
Of consumptives with the
other patients in the hospitals is dis
nd dvantageous both to themselves and
others, and that the risks that they
run AID to which they expose others
are not compensated by any serious
profit, the members OF the Congress
are OF option that all consumptive
patients should be gathered together
in special hospitals in groups, accord
ing to the period OF their disease, and
that these groops should be as small
AS possible at the earliest stage of the
''In consideration OF the fact that
in the present condition of the science
a continuous and sufficient supply of
pure air is one of the most powerful
elements in the treatment of tubercu-
losis, it is also advisable that these
hospitals should be built in the coun-
try. or at the seashore.
FINALLY, as transitOry measure.
TO last as short time as possible, con-
sumptives should. for the time being,
he united in special wards in the hos
pitfalls, apart from those of the other
patients, and the walls and furniture
OF these wards should be disinfected
at stated intervals
Another scheme for the isolation of
consumptives, which has just been an
nolnced by the Denver. Colo. News,
is 10 the effect that w. n. Byers, rep
resenting a syndicate Of Boston capi-
talists. has applied at the Office OF the
Colorado Land Commissioner for sec
tions of land on which TO colonize con-
sumptives from New England The
idea is to erect suitable buildings and
put the patients at gentle work, at
tending to fruit and poultry, bee cult
ure and gardening, insisting, all OF the
time. upon Iitable physical exercise.
The idea is that patients in the first
stages OF consumption might be bene-
hted in the mild. dry air of Colorado,
and that their light labors can be
turned to the pecuniary advantage of
the syndicate.
The Cincinnati Post over year ago
itself in the question OF the
cause Of consumption ane me possi-