The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-23
$4,000 FOR TUBERCULOSIS.

BY the time we have plowed under
20. 600 more dollars for the maintenance
OF some beautiful but useless landscape
adornments on top Of Kingston hill,
have devoted $1,000 a year TO injecting
KELLEY cure into inebriates, and have
given the State Board of Health 81, 900
TO examine into tuberculosis, we shall
be in fair way to beconr a glittering
example of paternalism in government
run riot.
We appreciate tine enthusiasm and
the sincerity of our friends of the State
Board Of Health who would examine
into tuberculosis at an expense To the
State of $4,000. If they can get the
appropriation we should guess they
might be enthusiastic and sincere. But
we are disposed to feel that their asking
for it demonstrates that their enthu-
siasm is carrying them way Oft their
feet.
The problem of life is serious and
complex business. 1t has been sub
iect for earnest and self-denying inves-
tigation since the first man found
himself on top OF tho earth and
the first woman strangely developed
from one of his ribs. And since we
have learned OF germs and microbes and
such the problem has become amazingly
complex. Tuberculosis is an awful
thing and the bacteria that are supposed
TO be the cause of it are Of themselves an
amazing problem. We guess we should
like 10 know all about them and find out
how they work and just how much we
they can be annihilated. Ii We were
doctor we think we should
make a study Of the subject If we
could get the means aud the time to do
it. Lots OF doctors, all over the world,
IRE now engaged in such Investigations,
we believe, jast as experts in other pro-
fessions aud trades are burning the mid
night electricity to solve problems and
discover new things in the arts and
sciences that VIII conduce 10 higher
life, more comfort, less labor. and in
general more perfect agreeableness of
existence here on earth.
But we do not believe in government
appropriating $4,000 TO investigate
tuberculosis or 10 dc anything else of
the sort. The State Board of Health
has good deal to do and it does it
pretty well, no doubt, aud perhaps we
owe good deal TO the investigations it
has already made in different lines Of
sanitation, and to its expert supervision
over our back yards and the condition
of our cows and pigs, that we
are alive today and enjoying
fairly good health to boot. But
the State Board of Health should
not allow itself to be carried away with
an excess of professional enthusiasm.
We respect and esteem the profession of
the medical man. We turn to it when
we are sick, and we are willing to pay it
our tribute il its guardianship, its
pamphlets and its advice, which we
heed, help TO keep Us well. But We
don't believe the taxpayers of Rhode
Island want to chip in to "A fund to en-
able the Board of Health to investigate
tuberculosis, not when so much as
$4,000 is thought to be nesessary
and no possible guarantee can
be furnished that the investigation, the
goods delivered. will be worth any such
sum. tuberculosis is a bad thing, no
doubt. but $25. 900 is lots of money. We
think better immediate use can be found
for the money, so long as 1t is the tax
payers money, than by devoting it TO
examining into tuberculosis. IL thous-
and doctors would chip in twenty five
dollars apiece and place that sum
at the disposal OF the Board, we should
favor such contributors, and we should
think the thirst for professional knowl-
edge would inspire such a sacrifice,
especially as it is not impossible that the
public might be benefited in measure,
also, and the doctors, toe. might get
their money back in the enl.