Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-09-06
The Prevention ofCOnsumption.

New Mexico has been famous for many
years for it's remarkable freedom from
consumption. This immunity, coupled
with its eminently favorable climate, has
drawn large numbers of consump tives
within its borders to secure relief. Else
where it has been seen that people once
wholly free from this dread disease have
become infected and thereafter have been
slaughtered by it, as witness the fate of
various tribes of Indians,
1t is certain that more cases of con-
sumption are reported by our physicians
now than prior to ten years ago as arts
ing in New Mexico among our perma-
nent residents whether English or Spanish
speaking people. Therefore it is wise
that we should protect ourselves by OK
acting scrupulons care from all resident
or visiting consumptives in the matter of
spreading the infection. Modern science
is perfectly satisfied that the disease is
chiefly distributed by the spit of con-
sumptives, becoming dry and powdered
and floating in the air We breathe. The spit
(sputum, the doctors call it) contains the
microscopic plant known as the tubercle
bacillus, now known to be the origin of
All persons splitting pus should learn at
once that they are constant danger to
their friends and neighbors, and they
should cheerfully cooperate in the effort
making throughout the civilized world to
stem the fearful tide of this great "White
Plague"
Consumptives should never spit on the
floors of rooms, public halls, churches
nor sidewalks and in dooryards, nor in
cars or other public conveyances. Every
person so affected should spit in some
receptacle and should see that the sputum
is soon destroyed by fire. About the
house there is no better way than to spit
between the leaves of patent medicines
almanacs- to be had freely at all drug
stores and after half dozen or more
spittings burn the book.
While abroad supply of small squares
of cloth may be carried, each of size to
hold single expectoration; these placed
in paraffined paper envelope should be
be burned as quickly as convenient.
Pocket spit-Aasks, and cups with dis
tructible paper Innings may be had cheap
ly or substitutes of no cost devised.
Spittoons of crokery should be provided
in hotels or cars and antiseptic water
kept in them; these should be emptied in
privies and then thoroughly scalded.
While moist the tuberculous sputum is
harmless, but once dry it is easily spread
in the air and very dangerous. On no &C.
count should such sputum fall where
domestic fowls or dairy cows can take it
in, as both classes of animals are apt to
do, for both are known to be easily con-
taminated with tuberculosis and to be
capable in turn Of communicating the d.
sease to human beings.
Physicians often remark upon the I'M
tdiness of many consumptives. Perfect
cleanliness should be observed; men
should keep mustache and beard closely
trimmed (the reverse is unfortunately the
custom with many such invalids); pains
should be taken not to let the sputum
dry on bed linen or covers; handkerchiefs
should not be spit upon, but if so casual
ly used then should be soaked in a car
bolic solution and boiled before final
washing.
Rooms occupied by consumptives
should be constantly we'll aired, often
cleansed, the furniture and wood work
wiped off with cloths dampened in car
bolic solution Is per cent)-at times the
floors and walls also-and room vacat-
ed by long resident grave case should
be emptied and thoroughly cleansed and
disinfected, as after diphtheria or SMALL
pox.
This, as we'll as the earlier preventive
measures, is of the highest Importance, as
dwellings may become highly infected,
and are then especially dangerous to
children who easily succumb to tubercu-
lar meningitis, tubercular disease of the
joints and of tho abdominal glands and |
not very rarely to similar pulmonary in
volvement.
1t is incumbent on all physicians to ex-
plain these matters carefully to every
consumptive patient, and to all keepers
of lodging houses and hotels that they
may see that their consumptlve guests
observe closely the rules herein laid
down.
Where consumptives follow out rigidly
these precautions there is no reason why
they should not associate freely and safe
ly with healthy persons or be waited on
closely by the latter when seriously i'll.
Adopted Aug. IS, 1895 by the New Mex.
Board of HEALTH