Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-17

subject Of tuberculosis, and note the large
number of deaths that occur from this dis
case. When I first began the investigation
of this subject I was struck by the fact
that on an average consumption was re-
sponsible for one-seventh of the total num-
Der of deaths. This seemed to me to be
unreasonable, as did not then, nor do
avoidable hereditary disease, and in this
opinion found that l was backed up by
the opinion Of eminent physicians all over
the country.
The opinion of DR.. Shakespear of Phila-
delphia on the subject is as follows: Il
wish to most positively affirm, from full
knowledge OF the subject, that tuberculo-
sis, at least in the human being, is an in
fictitious and not an hereditary disease, and
that it is undoubtedly pIeventable by pre-
cautions which will render it impossible
for the tubercle bacilli to find an entrance
into the human system after birth. That
these Infectious bacillf can be excluded
from entrance into the stomach with at
least one article of food which furnishes so
large a propt rtion of nourishment for
young, namely, cows nflkI is unquestlon-
able" : II
In other words, those who affirm that
| tuberculosis is not ant'heraditary disease
would claim that HUMANE being does not
contract consumption s9the result OF be-
ing born of mptivespardnts. but rather
as the result of association swith and noGr-
ishment derived from the mother and from
various other sources. ~ q!
And it is further claimed that the dis
ease is Infectious and THAT many cases
formerly supposed to have been hereditary
| can be shown to have been contracted from
other patients. Children brought in con-
| tact with conSumptiveS' IN confined spaces,
| such as school houses, where there is poor
ventilation, would be particularly suscep-
| tible to the disease, unless due precautions
were observed.
ut then goes on to state that the i'm
of from
consumption seems not to be generally
sufficiently understood Consumption is
| now believed to be most generally spread
| by the inhalation Of dust from the dried
| sputa of consumptive persons, and while II
| may not be considered judicious to COM
| pletely isolate all consumptives, it does
| seem judiCious to protect all large assem-
| blieS of persons susceptible to consump
| ton
| Investigation Needed.
| "'Thus were we to consider these variou:
! subjects we become more and more i'm
| pressed with the idea that sooner or latel
| we must begin systematic investigation
| locking to the cause of these various dis
eases and the means to be adopted for thei
| control. Then why not begin at once? L
| this were done l have no doubt but tina
| the five years preceding the beginning o
a new century would be marked with grea
| results from sanitary standpoint. II
| addition to these subjects foods and thei
authorizations would receive special con
| sideration, and there is every reason t
believe that this subject in itself woult
furnish food for reflection for. some tim
| to come.
Drugs and their adulterants.paten med
| icines, face washes. hair tonics. complexion
| powders, etc, ought also to receive du
consideration, as they undoubtedly produc
in many instances diseased and unhealth.
conditions The investigation of all sucl
questions as these, together with expert
nents looking to the improvement of ou
water supply, sewerage system. ventilation
heating and lighting, would pertain to sue
department as 1 have referred to. TIL
| health departments throughout the coun
try could, by addition of a small appro
priation, be made substa lions of this cen
trail department In this manner an &C
curate record of the various epidemics o
disease occurring throughout the countr
could be kept and made use of.
In conclusion, i desire to state first
That We have no national bureau of SAM
alton, and secondly it is absolutely neces
sary that We did have one"