The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-07-25
CONS UMPTION.
Circular Recently Issued by the Conneotl-
cut State Beard of Health.

Sfcular Recently Issued by the Connecu-
cut State Beard of Health.
A circular entitled Consumption; Its
Causes and Means of Prevention" has
just been issued by the Connecticut
State Board Of Health for public infor-
nation. The circular, which contains
some valuable information, is as fol-
lows:
Consumption Is the most destructive
disease among us, More than a thou
sand people die from it in this state ev-
cry year. Much of this suffering and
sorrow can be prevented by proper care
on the part of the sick and those who
attend them. The disease is a prevent
able one. 1t is now known that its
cause is a germ called the tubercle ba-
cillus. This germ is found in immense
numbers in the spittle of consumptive
patients. When this spittle dries, the
invisible germs which 1t contains in
enormous numbers, rise and float in the
air with the dust, and may be breathed
INTO our lungs. Healthy persons may
thus take the disease. This is the usu-
al mode of infection. Therefore the
Key co the control of consumption lies
IN che immediate and absolute destruc-
Lion of the infected sputa of all con-
sumptives. For every such person is a
producer of consumption seed, which is
living germ of very long and very
strong life If he sows 1t broadcast
about him In his spittle. it soon dries
and floats in the air to reinfect himself
and others who may breath in the
deadly dust. This germ is not easily
killed by dislnfectants. They will de-
stroy it only after contact for long
time. Even boiling it for fifteen min
utes is not effectual. Burning by fire is
the best means of destroying it; fire is
infallible. 1t resists cold also.
When the spittle of consumptive has
passed out of his possession he cannot
recover it,. He has sent it on its mis-
sion of death with needless indifference,
to find such victims as it may. Public
safety requires that any person who
has pulmonary consumption should spit
nowhere except upon or into some re-
ceptacle which may be burned with the
disea se-gerns which his expectoration
contains. Pocket spit-cups have been
invented, but old handkerchiefs, fresh
ly-washed rags or cheap Japanese nap
kins are admirably adapted for such
purpose. and can be burned without
loss If all the sputa of all tuberculous
persons, from this time on, could be ut
terly destroyed, the next generation
would, in all probability, be practically
exempt from this most fatal malady.
But other precautions are necessary
no person should sleep In room occu-
pied by a consumptive. Rooms so oc-
cupied become infected and have beer
proved to be the cause Of the disease in
many cases. Such rooms should be fire.
quently disinfected by scientific meth
DDS. The dry broom, the feather duste1
and all its substitutes, should be rigor-
ously expelled from every consumptivt
habitation. The damp cloth and the
fire should be the chief implements Of
house-cleaning where consumptives
dwell
Tuberculous mothers should not hurst
their children, because the germs arr
sometimes found in the milk. Tht
milk of tuberculous cows should never
be used
Members Of tuberculous families ough
to find out-of-door occupation. Over
crowding, bad ventilation In houses o.
shops employments which make dust
dampness Of the soil, increase the liabil
ity to tuberculous infection, and are
therefore to be avoided.
1t would be general public educator
if there could be hung in street and rail
way cars, public halls, theaters, bust
ness offices and stores, conspicuou.
notices to this effect: splitting ON tn,
Floor Positively Forbidden" The,
would be constant reminders, and b!
working a reform in the disgusting
habit Of splitting, would contribute
largely to public safety,
The State Board of Health, believing
that any effort to restrict and contro
the prevalence of Consumption, will b.
a failure without the hearty and IN
telligent cooperation of the public, is
sues this circular in the hope that TIL
information which it gives will awaken
an interest which will bring practica
results.
A diagram is also given exhibitin,
| the comparative mortality by absolut
numbers, from twenty of the mos
prominent causes of death in Connect
| cut in 1894 Some statistics drawn from
| the diagram are as follows:
Total deaths