The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-10
FOR BENEFIT OF HEALTH.
Argument Of City Physician ActIroy
Regarding tuberculosis.
ISOLATION IS THE PLAN SUGGESTED.
System of Cottages for All Tubcrcu-
Lar Dfseases-Crematory Necessary
70 Dispose of the Garbage.

DR.. Robert McElroy. city physician Of
Houston, ID engaged In agitating H. pur-
chase by the city OF q crernAtory or
means to dispose Of the garbage OF the city
and he presents argument to support his
theory which he believes can not be re-
futed He considers crematory the most
economical means OF disposing Of the ~ b.
age, and it presents protection in cas-
Of an epidemic. Should contagious di-
seases become prevalent In Houston the
disorders which have their source in
garbage are transmitted He also fayors
an isolation OF all tubereular diseases.
suggesting a system OF quarantine cottage
He discussed the questions with a writer
for The Post and presented his views OF
the two questions very fully. He said
1.-THE question OF isolation Of tubcrrulaT
patients Is a question Of the utmost i'm
portance and especially so to US Of the
South. where this disease is Increasing
faster than in any other portion Of the
United States. when in 1889 Professor
Koch made known his discovery OF the
etiology and pathology OF tuberculosis the
world heralded his success as ore OF the
greatest, Of not the greatest. achievement
G: modern science. aud the great dread tha;
had settled itself over US Il regard 10 this
disease was apparently dispeiled. a. We
accepted the fact that now TIE cause WAS
known, tie remedy vzs sure 10 follow. But
We were disappointed. While this grand
man vas successful ia discovering he
cause. he has bs-a unsuccessful il llsc0y-
eriEg a remedy. Naturally the question
prssen;s lisef. has las discovery Deea Of
s1y benet!t 10 medical scleocr. I believe
II las. lot sc have learned :; least h5S
Ne E-ay restrict this disease. tAoash We
ckn not ours T. Curative medicine il
thing o tbc fgtuEe EreFeuilye medicine
) our oniy hope a. pveseai. That tals
disease is CO the iacreas.e is h-eou4 Ql-s-
iSoz. AID that re vail - ultimately con-
Tslsed 20 quaEzuiire and Isolate patients
d uy tlrm belief. AID ;hzt &; 10 distant
Gag.
Authorities say hat 5ur.ag slavery
S2iAAsls sras COZ se4r2rivciy ankloNu. vhlle
Gov Ne k-49E ihzi t1e death TATE 10 the
oegTo rLoe ffoln fais cause is 20 per cent
sfezisz tA2n A-us-g che whites We can
SliIgbuie i.is .1z..-se 4gu0EE he ne7cro
70 seT.rA caates- % t1cst important we
zlgE' i-eailoll. ua1 ezlthy A1t'~a uIAaal.hy Z
eHsais@ss. iIlprclsI Tod s.xessses q an
klss.E. eI5'oscre AID, g.ra.esI o. all, I'LL !
4 ff------aAt|F-s +HNAs - ~ tl4ltt4HE ne
t,5.E-s1t +1te---.ls llrg Il tas negro W "a !
lie Whites - sssv4n.s. latorers nur.. s. |
e.s-. TIE '-.e-ru.fF @. exposure 70 This /
s91r-e - Infection forces ifseif ~ DIS I
A-ocaer serious s9vrre is she general (
htas t2l, where tAe o1s4rn-rive is EEL /
lss rrp-oeT N.'A t1e 1et.l.t4tel fever ia
i3e-t IS lasc a---rezse-l rssislng power /
-Daiss tilr a rsa1F slAte.t fpT iufee Oh /
J haI t1e coS 80 hey pr5llcls are serious 4
s1lrrla re acknowledge. tut Laws have |
i--er a11Gied Tor thorough and comp tent I
irt.aitiiuu of food lso1lcis Rl.clt tend TO I
Et9 4ce t.ss sourc-. and II Is only those city I
corlerat.ols tast d rot appreciate health /,
that have neglected them. Yet vita all /
i-sfectlpus tAis disease Is Increasing
lcsl@ciiol iu ifSaf Is not enough w
'nuf1 ADOPT some provision for isolation. !
eotild continue 70 clumcraie sources of /
j. iec ton but his subject ~ NOT a new
0fe Nrst ! wait TO impress particularly I
o. tbe minds q tho citizens ~ Houston w |
;Azt ra4.rai means must ba adopted nud !
we wis5 70 restrict his disease
tN4 tr14es ne death rate Latest esti- /
r7la'ss n Tie deaths from '1berc1iosis is |
- per snnufiiy iu Tho United States OF |
ore o.. % every five deaths are from this (
cause 4haf ft.s eeeth rate ls astounding .
Ii4S'cs r'i'Y reelection. and While thcro Is a |
ifsaitatT % reducing ttis elorm1us death I
rate. telleTr IS ilty We owe She rlh-
iic 20 conr"n'ra'c o1r most earnest eGo,is
alors tbose lines
Ny objes ~ isoia'ion is no, Only TO
f'c? ihc inicttlu1 sgeh subjects that are .
slrfsdy infected might cams. hut ! aIu
euufi1.nt g. would re ~ great benefit ~ I
'hDse Isolated. They o.hcrv ise would Ia (
epfiaennei 20 death, FOR % mas heaa be
lff'fi that igh' rcuisr h.sior pfoguostf- /
cAtto tuheWpfar tca's But more al !
fanred views ~ this sutieet iusillis now !
hope aid greater ef!grt 81 TIE PATIENTS he 1
saif. - = if now accepted that many who (
have Surcrcd f-orl tuberculosis have be- |
coAre well rieu ard women uni.- u-ouRr !
eare ale ssuifary surroundings ihereb, /
makirR themselves useful aud relieving /.
thsif lofed oncs o. LnEseu. as they 1
would have dragged cut a miserable exist /
erce. This toge alone ought 70 be- Of /
untold benefit both TO the patient and ply |
xiesso.
Il believe this disease should be handled 1
The ssme as any other contagious or ia.
'eciioHs q iseas'-- hy Isolation. / believe IL /
10 be As essentisi a. Va any disease now ~ I
handled. The practicshi,ty Of isolation /
OF contagious disehse can not b. denied I
and il IS az Reasonable 20 suppose that /
physicians would h. az successful with |
tuberculosis aa any other, ana The uecee- |
silly needs 10 argument believe that
there should b. hospitals on tho rnttag.
plan built FOR thcse subjects. thai ,ach
physician should repor, cfcry case 10 their /
charge 10 the health apartment. thai tha
health department should SOC ,hsf ,ba
sanitary surroundings are satisfactory and
necessary disinteetan,s used. that in c,s.-
patients refuse TO follow Instructions rr
are too poor TO supply necessities tia,
they should be removed to hospitals where
only iubercniar patients are received and
treated. ! believe this system would ma
tortally reduce this enormous death rate
and save tlDugau0a -