The record-union., 1895-04-19
PROGRESS In MEDICAL SCIENCE.
An Interesting Address by Or. W. R.
CluneSS.
Measures for Limiting the Spread OF
Certain Dread Diseases-Laws
Should be Enforced.

The chief paper of interest read at
Wednesdays session of the State Medical
Society in San Francisco was that of
DIR. w. r. Cluness of that city, who for
upward of thirty years was one of the
leading physicians of Sacramento The
paper related to the public health and re-
cent medical discoveries, and says
Gratifying progress has been made
within the past year in public hygiene in
several important particulars. The dis
coVery of specific bacillus causative of
the plague by DR.. Kitasato of Japan was
announced in August last From
various quarters there is evidence that
health authorities are active in urging
preventive measures for limiting the
spread OF tuberculous diseases. The
Michigan State Board OF Health has re-
solved to ask legislation to prohibit any
one from acting in the capacity of a
teacher or professional nurse without
certificate from a reputable physician of
freedom from tuberculosis: also, pro-
hlbltlng the sale OF milk from cows not
proved exempt by the tuDercular test.
DR.. Schweringer, the State Health Officer
of Texas, has issued a circular to County
Physicians and Health Officers, urging
enforcement of recognized measures for
the restriction OF pulmonary consump-
ton, with special reference 10 the hotels
IN Southwestern Texas, which are re-
sorted to by invalids.
perhaps the most noteworty advance
in curative medicine during the past year
IS the anti-tOXlne treatment of Behring
" RouX for diphtheria, by the subcuta-
neOus injection of blood-serum OF horses
| ranHQraH w mic
! tlons of the virus in increasing strength.
! This naturally led to experiments on
human beings with the serum IN order
| TO render them not susceptible to diph-
liberia, but so far it appears that the i'm
munity thus conferred lasts only about
six weeks.
Similar experiments have been made
for the prevention of the cholera with a
| so-called auti-cholera vaccine. 1t is said
! that DR.. HOnkine has inoculated over
! 5000 persons in Northern India, giving
them complete protection. Inasmuch as
immunity is not gained by one attack of
cholera, as likewise with diphtheria, we
may hardly expect the protection con-
terred by the lnoculation TO be perma-
nent.
"During the past year smallpox has
/ manifested unusual prevalence through
out the country east of the Rocky Mount
aims, indicating another cycle OF activity,
and, IN my Judgment, we have reason TO
apprehend the same experience on this
coast. Since It's disappearance about
| seven years ago material for its ravages
! has rapidly accumulated from neglect of
vacclnating children born since that da.e.
ut is greatly to be regretted that this
protection is generally deferred until
children are old enough to be sent to
school, and then many persons seem TO
| nave conceived the notion that the only
occasion for the vaccination of children
IS entrance to the public schools. Thus
the liberty of having and communicating
contagious disease seems TO be one of the
blessings OF government of the people,
privilege denied by the stricter Govern
ments OF Europe.
New legislation for sanitary protec-
ton Is less needed than vigorous enforce
/ nIent OF existing laws. The people choose
| directly their own lawmakers and
Judges, and it logically follows THAI,
on the whole, they get as good protection
| as they deserve. As To shortcomings
most persons do not know or do not care
The remainder can only grumble or pos
sess their souls in peace"
Altitude in California in Relation to
Immunity from tuberculosis" by DIR. j,
IL. Davisson of Los Angeles was also a
paper OF general interest. 1T has been
urged" he said, that high attitudes in
/ crease the number ofred- blood corpuscles
III LGDC4 CulCSlS pdIlGAbS. Jul IQIS IaHOr-
able and desirable result is rather de-
pendent upon improved general health
from better digestion and assimilation re-
/ suItIng from beneficial change of eli
mate and environment, and is not alone
characteristic OF high attitudes.
The varied topography, the long
stretch of seacoast, extended over ten de-
/ grees of latitude, the numerous mountain
/ ranges, the beautiful aud fertile valleys,
! The immense mum Der of natural springs
/ Of varying tempe atures and potencies
! the perpetual snOws-in the distance-tbe
! fine scenery, the southern latitude, with
( almost perpetual sunshine, with an
/ equabie climate and other CONSEQUENT
/ neteoroIoglc conditions, make California
not only a State of the most aried pos
sibilities as perpetual pleasure resort.
! but perpetual health resort as well.
''If physicians and guardians would ad-
! wise their patients to come to California
/ while the disease is incipient, and such
patients would come to remain. tbev
would be rewarded in good results. Then
they would not spread the germs ofdeath
IN their wake or incur the risk of dying
away from friends.
The reason for so many deaths from
consumption in California, Arizona. New
| Mexico, Texas and Colorado is thus ex-
planned, and as already indicated, we
have no record OF the many recOyeries
Of those who give climate chance and
come before the retrogate changes have
too far advanced for even favorable re-
sistance.
ITO recapiLulate, the topography of
California is such that the warm Pacific.
with its Japanese current on the west. the
sub-tropic relations to the south, the
warm and dry desert to the east, princi-
pally shut of by tho Sierra Nevada, and
bounded on the north by lofty mount
aims, for the most part covered with a drv.
sandy soil, fine scenery, eguable climate.
and almost perpetual sunshine, consti-
tute an ideal home for the invalid, a nat
ural sanitarlum for pulmonic diseases. -
WILL INQUIRE INTO IT