Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-11-16

presented, has served to increase the
agitation which has been aroused,
In order % get at the opinions Of the
leading physicians OF Cincinnati on
the latest aspect Of the case /. e.,
that relating to the proposed isolation
OF consumptiyes, interviews were Sc
cured with Drs Whitaker, Judkins,
Amick, Drumming and others.
DR. William Judkins said. II
thoroughly believe in the scheme for
the isolation OF consumptive patients.
The best plan is to take the patient
out Of his home and put him in
house specially butlt for cousumptives.
The idea may seem harsh one. but
IT. is certainly in the interest of the
friends OF the sufferer The great
trouble with the project would be to
get patients in the first stage OF the
disease to go TO such a retreat. Most
Of them don't believe that they have
consumption, and you can not con-
vince them to the contrary
DR. Whitaker said: II do not APP
prove OF the isolation project simply
because | do not think it would do
any practical good Isolation, the
taking away Of a cOnsumptiye from
his home and friends would be rather
inhuman
"ls every case OF consumption the
result OF contact with some other case,
or is the disease sometimes sporadic,
like choicra?'
"No. There is no such thing as
ia. ,,fi la. IL NJ
an inherited disease Every case
owes its origin to communication.
Many cases Of consumption are con-
tracted at bedsides. One patient can
give it to twonty well persons, Strong
men with no predIsposition that way,
get it. Why. one of the worst places
to contract consumption is in post
Office corridor A consumptiye com
ing in. splits on the floor. He spreads
the germs Of his disease to be inhaled
by others who enter. There should
be cuspidors in pOstottices, in market
houses and in all other public places.
Splitting by 6onsumptives upon side
walks is not 80 dangerous, as the
open air dissiminatcs the germs more
widely than in building"
"llo you think that consumption is
increasing or decreasing
probably decreasing on account
OF better methods used in treating it.
The newspapers can do great good by
calling attention to the great danger
of consumption and noting the neces-
sity for greater care in guarding
against the disease. People are too
careless. No doubt isolation would
be of benefit to patients and do good,
but it could not be enforced
Dr. W. X. Amick, who resigned
his professorship in the Cincinnati
College of Medicine and Surgery. held
for seventeen years, to devote him
self to curing consumption, said;
II am, of course. opposed to isola-
ton, because my theory is that con-
sumption is not directly produced by
an outside cause. | hold that the
bacillus microbc is tho effect, or pro-
duct. and not the cause of the dis
ease, so it is very evident, in my
opinion, that isolation would accom-
plish no good.
You mean to say, then, that the
inhaling OF the dried-up sputa, con-
tanning these microbes, is not harm
ful?''
"On the contrary DR.. Amick re-
piled. ANY dust or eXtraneous mat
ter would produce a mechanical irri-
tatiou OF tho parts and he likely to
occasion lung troublc-as the inhala-
ton of the dried sputa OF II consump-
tive. just as speok of dust initiates
the eye, the inhalation OF any foreign
matter initiates the air passages"
Continuing, DIR. Amick said:
You may state as my opinion that
the natural secretion OF tho healthy
mucous membrane either destroys the
germs so Inhaled or renders them of
no effect, so far as any intrinsic
power to produce the disease is con-
cerned. II consumption was either
contagious or infections, would have
had it long since, as am daily clos
| eted with the worst possible cases,
and during the Investigation leading
10 my discovery of the cause and cure
| of the disease, | sought out the worst
forms of it and made microscopic eX-
animation of diseased sputa marked
feature of my professional work and
research, Notwithstanding all this,
and although predispcsed to consump
ton, have inhaled the diseased
breath and germs Of tuberoulous pa
tents almost continually without il
effect"
"On what grounds, doctor. have al
these appeals for the isolation of con
sumptives been madee''
"On the theory Of some bacterolo
gists that tho disease is communi
Gated by microbes cxpectoratcd b.
the consumptiye