The evening world., 1894-03-15
WAR UPON CONSUMPTION.
The State Health Board Publishes Its
Plans for Preventing the Spread
Of tuberculosis.
INTRUSIVE SURVEILLANCE.
Physicians Asked to Help Teach Proper
Sanitation--How the Disease
IL Contracted.

The State Board of Health has issued
r. circular stating that the communi-
cability of pulmonary tuberculosis has
been so thoroughly established, and is
now so generally recognized by the
medical profession throughout the world.
| that the board has determined to take
such active measures as may be consis-
tent and possible for the prevention of
the disease.
Local health officers will hereafter be
required to register the name, address,
sex and age cf every person suffering
from tuberculosis within their respective
| jurisdictions, SO far as such informa-
tion can be obtained. The board respect
fully requests that hereafter all ply
sicians will forward such information to
the health officials in the respective
jurisdictions in which such cases may
occur.
This information will be solely for the
use of health officers and in no case will
visits be made to such persons by public
officials, nor will any public sanitary
surveillance of such patients be as
sumed, unless the patient resides in
tenement-house or hotel, or unless the
attending physician requests that an in
spection be made of the premises; and in
no case where the person resides in a
tenement-house or boarding-house or
hotel If the physician requests that no
visits be made by inspectors, and is will
ing himself to deliver circulars of infor-
ton or furnish such equivalent informa-
ton as Is required to prevent the ex-
tension of the disease to others.
S,fyln oh otr,C
knowledge of the existence of cases of
pulmonary tuberculosis in tenement
houses, boarding houses or hotels, unless
the case has been reported by a physi-
clan, and the latter requests that no
visits be made, inspectors will visit the
premises and family, will leave circulars
OF information and instruct the person
suffering from consumption and the
family, concerning the measures which
should be taken to guard against the
spread Of the disease. If It is considered
recommendations for the cleaning or
renovation of the apartments as may
be required to render them free from in
fection.
1t is further directed that in all cases
where 1t comes to the knowledge OF a
local health officer that premises which
have been vacated by death or removal,
an inspector will visit the premises
and direct the removal Of infected arti-
cles, such as carpets, rugs, bedding, &c,
for disinfection, and will make such writ
ten recommendations to his immediate
, superior concerning the cleaning and
required. An order embodying these
recommendations will then be issued tc
= the owner Of the premises. and compli-
lance with the order will enforced fol
/ sanitary reasons.
,Consumptives are advised to sleer
alone, and to have their bed clothing
separately from the clothing belonging
to other people. Rooms which they
have occupied should be cleaned,
scrubbed. white-washed. painted or
For the information of consumptives.
the board adds that consumption Is a
cold may make 1t easier to take the
disease. 1t is usually caused by germs
Sestbe fnfT he the maer sGay which,
tives cough or spit up contains these
germs in great numbers; frequently
millions are discharged In ash single DAY; y;
elsewhere. Is apt to dry, become pull
verified and float in the air as dust. The
dust contains the germs, and thus they
The breath Of a consumptive does not
contain the germs and will not produce
the disease. well person catches the
disease from consumptive only by In
some way taking in the matter coughed
up by the consumptive.
. 1t is not dangerous for other persons
, to live with consumptive. II the mat.
!, ter coughed up by the consumptive is at
once destroyed. This matter should moi
be spit upon the floor. carpet, stove, wal
cup kept for that purpose; This cup
should contain water, SO that the matter
may not dry, and should be emptied into
, the closet at least twice a day. and care
fully washed with hot water.
Great care should be taken by CON
Ing do not become soiled with the mat.
soiled, they should be at once washed
with hot soap and water. When con-
!, sumptives are away from home the mat
ter coughed up may be received or
cloths, which should be at once burned
on returning home: i handkerchiefs ar, +,
, burned are far better) they. should bt
= boil ID in water alone before beine
Persons suffering from consumption
, are requested to send their names anc
I addresses to the local health officer.
George F. Britton, Secretary of tht
Department of Public Charities ant
Correction, sent out circular yesterday
asking heads of institutions in the de
i partment to forward to the Health
Board statistics of every person in theil
institutions suffering from tuberculosis
s They are directed further to forward Q
c similar weekly report. President VIII
son. OF the Health Board, said the doc
tors in his department were seekins
spread of consumption. 1t is hoped ir
this way to get complete comparative
tables of the spread of the disease. to bt
used in an effort to cope with 1t.