Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-30
Methods Of Preventing the Spread Of
Consumption. a.. !
REPORT OF TIE MEDICAL SOCIETY
Diphtheria and the Use of Anti
Toxine in Washington.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

tr;ct of Columbia. There are Several other
sections of this report covering the facts
ascertained through an investigation made
by various members Of the committee Of
the mortality statistics of the District IN
der various heads. rhe lllcr of preparing
the report was divided among he MEM
bers of the committee as follows: MalaIial
diseases, DR.. Carr; tuberculosis and small
pox, DR.. Morgan; contagious and diarrhoeal
diseases. Mr.. Mayfeld; diphtheria and arti-
toxine. DR.. Hyatt; chronic Giseases, alco-
holism and inebriety, DIR. !4eech; mortality
and disease in the county, Or. Chappen;
typhoid fever, DR.. Johnston, chairman.
Consumption md It's Prevention.
The report made oy DR.. James d. Nor
gan on tuberculosis said:
Although we can speak e1.eouragin:,ly CT
the advance which the medical profession
Of the city of Washington has made in the
prevention and treatment OF tuberculosis
tribution of the disease, and by the grad
ually lowering death rate for the past ten
years, being especially marked for the year
1898, yet there remains much to be done,
when we consider that per cent and a
fraction Of the general mortality per 1,GOO
In the city of Washington is due to tubercu-
lcsis pulmonu1n alone. Or. to impress the
facts stronger, there are, with few days Of
SACSptlOus Two deaths from Dntn1SlS every
day in the District of Columbia. Figures
convey little or no meaning unless made
clear by comparison. One would DE apt OF
to credit the statement, unless verified by
figures, that the deaths from tuberculosis
In the District of Columbia are very near
seVen-eighths as many as all the deaths
from the zymotic diseases combined: there
being III deaths from tuberculosis for the
nscal year ending July ]. 1898, and 907 for
the zymotic diseases. Taking some of the
most fatal OF the Zymotic diseases singly
the comparison with tuberculosis Is posi-
lively startling-for instance, typhoid fever,
~ deaths for the year 1895; cholera in
1antum, III; diphthcria, 1874; tuberculosis,
III deaths. As for scarlet fever, it had
mortality Of but 16 for the year, and
measels but 10.
e. Since the 1st Of July, 1895. to December
~, 1875. there have been 291 deaths from
tuberculosis pulmonum, and should this
same favorable average be continued the
remaining six months of the fiscal year
ending July 1, 1885, we should have 624
deaths against 675 and 81 for the two pre-
ceding years-a happy decrease of tifty-cne
In one year and forty-seven in the other
To the prevention and treatment of tuber-
cuiosis Is due, in no small degree, the
heightened duration Of life of the whole
mass of the people. ~ Beginning in 1881
with length of life of twenty-six and cne-
half years for all ages, and coming down
through the subsequent years with slightly
varying rate, but with frightening ter
dency, the average was twenty-seven years
and eleven months for the year .1S3 for
1894 1t was twenty-nine years, four months
and twenty-five days. and 1895, thirty lone
years, three months and nine DAYS The
dc aths per LOCO from tuberculosis for the ifs
cal year ending July ], 1894 were 7OS: for the
fiscal year ending July 1, 1895, the per-
centage was 6.15-or decrease of 81 per
], 600 for 1895. The whites now have an
average life Of thirty-six years, nine months
and twenty-five days, the colored, twenty
five years. eight months and twenty-seven
days; last year the average was thirty-fye
years, nine months and thirty-six daYs for
the whites, and twenty-five years, eleven
months and zine days for the colored. Or
as you can clearly see from the compa rison
the coiored are gaining in the race for
Inc reports on tuberculosis pull
monum, which are appended, from the
health office, the hospitals and the clinic
on throat and chest at the Central Dis
pensary, all show a gradual decrease.
Providence Hospital reports six.v c:ses
for 1895 against seventy-nine for 1Sat. Car.
neld reports: There were more cases in
1894 than in 1885," the Central Dispensary
shows decrease Of .1S.
Prevention.
The public mind is being quickly eau-
Gated to the knowledge of the con1agious
ness of tuberculosis expectoration. Amann
gives the results of 1900 examinations of
sputum obtained from 1892 patients. The
bacillus was found In 1,49S, or SO DER cent
of the patients.
Ihe health commission of BROOKLYN. N
l., IN a very recent circular for the guild
a ah OF the laity. very properly italicizes
tne following: 1T should be remembered
that the dangerous element is the expecto-
ration OF consumptives, and that If this is
aestroyed before it becomes dry little danger
Is to be found.''
considered to be almost as infectious as the
zymot1c diseases, and cases of pulmonary
are not treated in the general
wards OF the hospitals. The experiments
OF Dr. Cornet serve to impress upon our
minds the needs Of prevention and disin-
lection in the habitations of tuberculosis
patients. 90 He examined the dust of
rooms recently inhabited by phthisicaI pa
uents. The dust was collected from the
neighborhood of the patients beds, but at
SUCH distance from them that it could
not have been contaminated either by d.
rect contact with the patients or in their
expectordtion. definite quantity of this
dust was introduced into the bodies Of
guinea pigs to test its powers Of infection.
Nearly 400 animals were used for expert
men sata f.on, VI these very nearly one-haf
proportion succumbed to peritonitis.''
;. Recent statistics collected by Prof. Hol-
linger of Munich show that the "a NOR
tallty from tuberculosis in Munich, Berlin,
frankfort, Dresden and Stuttgart have ali
decreased o to 10 per 10000 and this low
cred mortality is undoubtedly due to the
hySientc measures, individual and general.
taken in regard to tuberculosis
All suspected cattle should be tested with
tuberculin, as diagnostic measure. 1t is
a well-known fact that animals giving the
most milk are those most frequently az
fected.
S Physical examination NAV sho,u ve,1-
marked cases Of the disease in a dairy or
nerd, but latent forms cannot possibly be
thus detected. With tuberculin PROPERLY
used, 1t Is possible to detect tuberculosis. d
early enough to eradicate it, and thus make
the milk Of cows so affected comparatively
safe for man to drink
We would take long step forward in tho
right direction If we could bring about the
disinfectfon of all bedding and
clothing Of tuberculous patient. and az
Capo of Madrid has recommended the Gre
nation Of patients dead from tuberculosis
Our efforts at disinfection of tubercIe-in-
fected houses are often both disagreeabie
and useless. CO. Sulphurous acid chlorine
and euchlorine have proved practically use
less.
The experiments of Schill and Fisher are
to the use Of per-chloride of
According to Drs Delapine and
Ransome Of London, who have made an ex-
tended study of the various methods of dis
the only method of disinfection
which seems to promise satisfactory re-
suits is the direct application of a solution
Of chlorinated lime to the walls to be dis
infected. Sunlight was found to be a most
important natural disinfecting agent.