The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-02
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE
CONSUMPTION SO DECLARED BY NEW
YORK's BOARD OF HEALTH.
Points from a Circular Issued TO the
People-Death Rate Reduced-In-
structfons to Doctors.

NEW YORK, Dec. Whatever may be
the result in effecting cures in that most
dreaded of all diseases, consumption.
either Of the serums now undergoing test
at the Italian hospital or of the chemical
injection recently Endorsed by DIR. Cyrus
Edson.f the disease has for the past two
years been on the decrease in this city.
There are figures TO prove this encouraging
statement. and. better than all, there is a
good and scientific explanation for IL.
Since 1852, up to last year. the number OF
deaths annually from consumption in New
York never fell below five thousand. There
was a marked uniformity in the rates of
death from this gruesofne disease, the high
est number. 500. being made in 1890. and
the lowest. 5.124, in 1893. In 1887 and 1883
the number Of deaths from consumption
were identical, being for each of those
years. 5,s60 In no year from 1882 to 1894
did the rate vary from the preceding year
more than two or three hundred. In 1884
the death rate from consumption was re-
duced to 4.65s, and this year II is expected
TO fall below that figure. The reduction of
mortality from consumption is admitted 10
be due to the adoption by the Board of
Health, at the beginning or 1894, of certain
rules and of settled policy in fighting the
spread Of the. disease, Were consumption.
as most people used to believe, a purely
hereditary disease, the Board Of Health
could not have accomplished what ii has.
II was the recognition of the fact that con-
supmtion Is communicable disease that
furnished ground upon which Ii could be
fought by the health authorities: In 1893.
ssgs to the
ling propositions, as follows:
First-Iuberculosis is a communicable
disease and is distinctly preventable.
.'Second-It is acquired by the direct
transmission OF the tuberc,e bacilli from
the sick to the well, usually by the means
OF the dried and pulverized srutum floating
as dust In the air.
'.Third-It can be largely prevented by
simple and easily applied measures of clean
illness and disinfection."
Pulmonary tuberculosis, or phthisis. other
wise consumption, constitutes about 50 per
cent of all forms of tuberculosis, and IL Is
chiefly against consumption that the health
board proceeded when, early in February,
1884. 1t issued in the English, German and
Hebrew languages throughout the tenement
districts circular which read in part as
follows:
Consumption is disease that can be
taken from Others and is not simply caused
by colds Ids "A, a cold may make it easier t, to
germs which enter the body with the air
breathed. The matter which consumptives
cough or spit up contains these germs a., IN
charged in a single day. This matter, spit
upon the wall, floor or elsewhere. is apt to
dry, become pulverized and float in the air
as dust. The dust contains the germs. and
thus they enter the body with the air
breathed. The breath of consumptive
does not contain the germs and will not
disease from a consumptive only by In some
way taking In the matter coughed up by
the consumptive.
Consumption can often be cured III it's
nature is recognized early and proper means
are taken for Its treatment In majority
of cases it is not fatal disease.
1t is not dangerous for other persons to
live with a consumptiye if the matter
ccughed up by the consumptive is at once
destroyed. This matter should not be spit
upon the stove, carpet. floor. wall or street
or anywhere except into Gun Kept Tor that
ut is better for consumptive to sleep
alone, and his bed clothing and personal
clothing should be boiled and washed sep
arately from the clothing belonging to 9TH
er people.
dress should be sent at once to THE health
department on a postal card, with state
ment Of this fact. medical inspector
from the health department will then call
aud examine the person TO see IL he has
consumption, providing he has. no physi-
clan, and then, If necessary, will give
proper direction to prevent others from
catching the disease
Frequently a person suffering from con-
sumption may not only do his usual work
without giving the disease TO others, but
may also get well IL the matter coughed
up is properly destroyed.
Rooms that have been occupied by con-
sumptives should be thoroughly cleaned,
scrubbed, whitewashed. painted and pa
pered before they are again occupied. Car
pets. rugs. bedding, etc. fiom rooms which
have been occupied by consumptlves should
be disinfected. The health department
should be notified. when they will be sent
for, disinfected and returned to the owner
free of charge, or, If he so desires, they
VII be destroyed.
simultaneously with the issuing of the
foregoing circular a notice was sent 10 all
physicians announcing that from that time
forward the department would register the
name address, sex and age of every person
suffering from tubei culosis in the city, so
far as such information could be obtained.
and requesting all physicians to forward
such information just as carefully and
faithfully as they would in cases OF con-
tagious disease.