San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-01
IS CONSUMPTION CONTAGIOUS

lished in the Express relative to
the committees warning to the
city council as to the danger and
contagiousness Of consumption,
leads me as a member of the West
Texas Medical Association, also
to express a few ideas upon this
subject, which was freely dis
cussed in that body at regular
meeting sometime since, when
the members were evenly divided,
necesitating the president to cast
the vote, which he cast upon his
belief in the affirmative. One Of
the committee was then one of
our best men in the negative,
another one of the committee,
was raised here when San An
tonic was expectorated over then,
as now by this class of unfortu-
mates, and it has never grown
dangerous, in San Antonio until
now. All these were dry and the
winds famed the face OF the
earth as now, consumptives came
here from everywhere, so says
the old men and women, who
are up in the seventies and eigh-
ties.
So | wonder why one OF the
committee was not infected, and
gone long ago, but / am glad he
wasn't, and lives as an evidence,
to see the non-contagiousness of
this to be dreaded and distressful
malady. People breathe now, as
then and must have involuntarily
breathed in these infectious germs
of consumption, had 1t belonged
to the family Of infectious and
contagious diseases the city at a
much earlier day than this, would
have fortified against this class Of
visitors.
This is proof No. 2 of the nom
contagiousness of consumption
for San Antonio has been expecto-
rated over for years, and il it
had been contagious the board
lighthouses would long since found
it so and have dreaded them, and
been as 10th to entertain them as
a case of smallpox of today.
These consumptives would have
been quarantined against as is
yellow fever, cholera, smallpox,
diptheria, scarlet fever, or any
thing to be dreaded and feared, by
the people.
This is proof No. 3 of the nom
contagiousness of this disease.
Now / am not aiming any per-
sonalities for 1 esteem the com.
mittee as men of honest belief, and
good members Of the medical pro-
fession. We are not now discuss
ing a scientific matter for science
is proven facts, and will not admit
of a doubt but as this is merely a
belief matter we all have right
to take 1t here upon belief ideality
conjectuality, but If these ideas,
or beliefs, eliminate in proven
facts it then becomes science or
proof beyond controversy until
then, in this open question, l am
like the story Of the darkey when
he was baptised, 81 am riddy for
sputin."
In conclusion l will say why l
do not believe consumption is con-
tagious. In nearly 80 years prac-
tice, | have seen the victims OF
this dreadful monster die in the
midst of the healthy. i have seen
wife wait upon her husband, and
husband upon wife, confined in a
close room at times, l have
never known any infection, L can
find proof Of such here in our
city, many people can testify as
to the truthfulness OF like cases.
This is proof No. 4 as to the
non-contagiousness Of consump-
tion. Now in evidence of my be-
lief in climate like this, | will be
willing to move in the midst of a
thousand cases take my family
and with sufficient compensation
have them to assist me in care
ing for these unfortunates and
will come out without any deaths
from this disease and will realize
the curse OF many souls who
would have died elsewhere, sur
vive the disease and grow stout
here. I have seen seemingly hope
less cases grow stout in this the
) finest climate perhaps known to
man. What is the remedy in this
malady? Educate the people az
/, to the scientific side of this
problem that consumption like
l other vices, and evils, is trans
D mited from Sire to Son, that it i:
Q inherited and will live throughout
:, this line for ages and without
faint OF this nature, there i:
no infection, no death.
DIR. l.. V. WEATHERS.
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