The herald., 1896-11-08

annears TO me as unfortunately consid
cred. since, though it's object was to
protect the reputation of our locality as
a health resort, it casts doubts upon &C
cepted propositions regarding the mod
ern scourge, consumption, and we are
led to believe that the Investigations
Of world-known psychologists are not
conclusive in establishing the contagious
nature of this disease which brings to
our state numbers of inValdS more or
less affected.
The statement has been made that the
mortality from phthiSiS in the state was
on an increase and that natives them
selves, having been brought in contact
with consumptive visitors, were showing
advancing disease. The whole condition
was likened to one existing in a province
of France, the climate of which has
similar qualities as Southern California
and an easily excited eastern press, en-
vious perhaps. made a comparison be-
tween our localities and the infected
district of Mentone, France, in which
the reader was led to believe that since
the unsophisticated rural inha bitants
Of the latter village had opened their
houses to health-seeking consumptives
and had not recognized the danger in
so doing till their own homes had be-
come infected, that therefore our own
soil and air must be surcharged with the
deadly bacillus tuberculosis and that
the health of our own population had
been and was being rapidly undermined.
We of course recognize the falsity of
such random and prejudiced state
mentS from the eastern press: we should
emphatically deny that such serious
consequences to local health had arisen,
since, although the mortality from con-
sumption is alarming, no proofs exist
as yet verifying that our own people
had become seriously infected, but we
have no surer means to draw suspicion
upon us than to cas- a doubt upon the
contagious character of this same dis
ease. We can not afford to play the
part OF an ostrich, wlo on the approach
of the hunter, hides his head in the sand
and fancies the danger past. Let us
take up the challenge and face our ac-
cusers, and let US adopt such means
as regards prevention. of those dire re-
suits. already, If unjustly. pronounced
to exist, as will effectually hinder the
view Of picture like that of sad Men
tone.
Consumption indubtably is conta-
gious; this fact need not be further
discussed, and that the bacillus of the
disease is no doubt pleltiful in a region
where invalids congregate, stands to
reason, especially since we are care
less as to it's subjugation. That San
francisco and other hards of health
have adopted stringen measures to re-
strict further encroachnent of disc ase
does not prove that they are over zeal
our or inquistorial. n,r that caIami-
tous conditions of contasion already ex-
list in our midst, yet it h the height OF
folly to advance an argument that would
tend to lull our anxietyas regards the
future in this respect. Zoo much false
pity exists today in Iehalf of the
consumptive. aid instead of facing the
truth, we take the unfortunate inva-
lid by the hand and urge him to hold his
place among men, when,fto do him real
Kindness and service we ought to Sc
clude him from every day pursuits and
allow his exhausted body needed rest.
The products of his disease cling to and
about him, his breath and sputa are
contagious, yet do we ALLOW him, yes. of :
ten force him, to sit withus at table. at
the meeting house. in the office. Do
We not thereby expose hin to a harmful
activity and us to the dlngers of ac-
quiring bis malady? We know not vet
the melancholy sights witnessed at Men
tone or similar colonies; engous obsery-
ers see the danger before and warn us.
and 1t becomes a commanding duty of
all California. the mecca for every suf-
fering invalid, to guard against becom-
ing infected.
] Our virgin soil and balmy breszes are