New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-28
CHECKING CONSUMPTION.
THE NEW PLAN OF REGISTRATION OF
CASES.
PHYSICIANS DISCUSS IT'S MERITS AND DEFECTS
DIR. EPSON THINKS 1T Is A SUCCESS.

PHYSICIANS DISCUSS IT'S MERITS AND DEFECTS
DIR EDISON THINKS 1T Is A SUCCESS.
The important action taken recently by the New
York local and State Boards Of Health in the drec-
ton OF requiring the registration Of consumptiVes
and treating them the subjects of contagious ois
ease has awakened general interest among phys
clans and considerable difference Of opinion exists
as to the wisdom and practicability Of this new de-
parture.
The Michigan State Board of Health requires noti-
hcaton and registration If cases Of corsumpt'oh'
but does not insist isolation. The pennsylvania
State Board of Health has considered the plan OF
issuing similar order Objection TO IT. however
has been made by Philadelphia physicians as notih-
cation and registration Of infected persons "ouid
create a panic and do little good so long as quaran-
| tine and disinfection could rot be carried out
The Board Of Health Of ;'ne city of New-lork has
recommended that physicians and other persons to
whom the knowledge OF the existence Of a case OF
tuberculosis may come be requested to report to
this department all such cases within seven days OF
| the time when such sick person comes WITHIN Cd
servation That the medical sanitary inspectors as
part of tneir duty investigate cases OF the as
| reported and take specimens Of the sputa Tor
| dagnosc purposes. is done in cases Of diphthe-
ria These specimens should he transmitted to the
| division of bacieriology for examination. and upon
| yer,ication Of the diagnosis the inspector should
visit, the physician reporting each case anl request
him to fully Instruct his patient and the persons with
| whom he Is in concerning the nature OF the
| disease and the danger of its transmission
These recommendations of the Board OF Health
| as disclosed In interviews with number of we'll
| known physicians Of New-York obtained by
Tribune reporter have hearty advocates and earnest
| opponents.
| DR. Alfred T.. LOOMS expressed his opinion in
| gard to the proposed measures briefly ana to the
point. Il do think it is practicable or best ne
| said.
| pr r GaiIlard Thomas thought the regstra-
| ton ~ consumptves was in the line OF progress
| and he looked favorabiy upon IT,
! For years" remarked Or Thomas. ut VIII ne
| found very mpractcab.c but when il Is done 1t will
| h.. a decided advance. and many lives may be saved
by IT, I consider II ms mercy carrying out the Views
| and plans which carried out today with REFER
| cncc to smallpox and other contagious DISEASE" IN
III very recent period has not been supposed hat
| tuberculosis was trlnsmlsshle as contagious ole
ment but /, Is known to-day that II Is so. and
think that any rules made ~ restrict IT'S progress
without inncting absolute discomfort and injury on
| the person suffering from IT are decided advance.
The object is To stamp ou so iar az science can 90
| So the disease known rs tuberculosis and individual
| rights and interests must fall whore the greatest
| good 10 the creates, number the good OF the com
munity. Is concerned. The measure VIII meet many
Instructions AZ first. but when II becomes law mat
| is abldei by beneficial results Will be obtained
Some years ago. In Montreal. mobs formed in pro
|
ton OF consumptves there * no invasion Of personal
! rights and Of course. the records are not to b"
made public / do not think the record should he
accessible 10 ANYBODY bur the officials. When these
measures arr started they look monsrous bui when
| they are In working order they VIII not De iouhd
| oppressive The difficulties in the beginning VIII De-
| tremendous but In time think 1t VIII be- possible
IA register practically all the consumptives In the
city am hot ready to say that registration IL m"
hes, thing tina, could b. done but certainly some
thing In that line ought to be attempted. And IN"
only way to get at the number II tuberculosis case"
I'm a large city would be- 10y registration
Ur william VI Polk declared mat j. registration
OF consump;ves WAS not al invasion 81 mans
personal liberty IL was entirely practicable Phi 81
clans were compelled to register contagious diseases
| and II tuberculosis was classed ~ contagious the
pr.sen, law would cover that ground.
We are for protecting the human race. DIT POLK
went on 20 say. and the matter must D" looked
uion as a cold scientific question. our duty IS TO
protect the community This IL the entering wedge
| to the curtallnent of the intcrmarriage OF con
smptlvcS and II the human race Is To reach pertec
| lion that subject has TO be considered. The weak
rogs must b.. got rii or \ solution Of the problem
| In regard to consumption must be- reached and I'm
| disposed to think II Is registration The pubic
| should bc warned In some way Consumption Is
dreadful disease because II does not happen to strike
with the same suIdrnness as dphthera or scarlet
| fever. nevertheless the development OF II among
those We love and whose lives like to preserve
T. more fatal than either. although slower. Some
sort OF step should be taken 20 warn the community
and II registration VIII accomplish IT, all right But
! am not saying that registration would do II.
should say that hasy action IL 10 be deprecated but
that wha, IL best to protect the community should
be done | think some better measure can be found
! but how when where | cannot tell you
Dr Eugene Fuller the associate OF DR.. Edward
/. Reyes who Is travelling with W. *. Vanderbilt.
said Il do think that registration Is very prac-
al in fh.Ar nor
haps Tuberculosis does not always manifest Itself
I'm tho lungs first. II may attack the internal or
| gans generally. DO nos think you could get all the
cousumptives registered \ good deal can be done In
getting statistics. hut don't think you can stamp
ont tuberculosis In this way You can find tubercle
| hacnli in spuium before you can find tuberculosis
| bv tests and II a person is then put under the
| right hyglenic measures everything OF the kind dis
| appears You would not want 10 register such per
| SON would you? don't see how great deal could
be- accomplished by registration and think 1t would
| be A failure. Any doctor would report "A case Of
sr,ollpox but he would be dnident about reporting
every patient who came In his office and had a
| ubcrcu.ar process In some organ We owe To
patient a certain amount OF privacy"
| DR. George f. Shrady thought there were good
reasons pro and in regard to registration con
| sumption was looked upon as communicable nut
other conditions had also be taken into account.
| as II was different from other diseases. IN mat IL
reourcI n particular susceptibility to disease IN
| person II was necessary TO have the seed ana IN"
| coil toeether Mostly for the protection of sus-
| ceptiblc people Boards of Health or New-Nork
| and Pennsylvania had officially declared consump-
| lion 10 be a contagious disease, ana were taking
mains To educate the people without making II irk-
some for them the same as they would IN cases OF
| ,oro marked contagious diseases such diph
| iberia and smallpox.
| ..ConsImption." continued DIR. Shrady rs mild
| contaglon and mild measures should be used Inc
! more knowledge get on the subject the better
| for the people. don't suppose there II any eie-
| mont Of compusion about the registration that
,.ouI no lrksome In fact, ii is an experiment. but
an experiment In the right line. IL Is good thing
from statistical point Of View. II may be objected
H. u have Known thai