Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-28
no CHEck COXsIMPTIoN.


The ST. Louis board of health. following
the example of the New York health board,
has declared consumption TO be a COM
municable disease and directed that sani-
tary officers and physicians treat it accord
ingly. The New York board, it is said, in
vestigated the subject at considerable
length. took scientific testimony and fully
convinced itself before deciding on a course
Of action. AS the same kind OF action is
contemplated by Cincinnati, Cleveland and
other cities. and may in the near future
be up for consideration at Kansas City, To-
peka, Leavenworth. etc, the resolution
adopted by the New York board is worth
perusng. II is as follows:
Resolved, That under the power con-
ferred by law upon the health department
the following additional amendment to the
sanitary code for the security of life and
health he and the same is hereby adopted
and declared TO form a portion of the sani-
tRry code:
Section 225. That pulmonary tubercu-
losls is hereby declared TO be an infec-
tlous and communicable disease danger
Gus to the public health. II shall be the
duty of every physician In this city to re-
port to the sanitary bureau in writing the
name, age. SEX occupation and address of
every person having such disease who has
been attended or who has come under the
observation of such physician for the first
time within one week of such time 1t
shall also be the duty OF the commissioners
or managers or the principal, superintend-
ent or physician of each and every public
or private institution or dispensary In this
city TO report to the sanitary bureau in
writing. or to cause such report TO be made
by some proper and competent person, the
name. age, sex, occupation and last ad-
dress of every person afflicted with this
disease who is under the care or who has
come under their observation, within one
week of such time. It shall be the duty
Of every person sick with this disease and
of every person in attendance upon any
one sick with this disease, and of the au-
thorities of public and private institutions
or disDensaries TO observe and enforce all
the sanitary rules and regulations of the
board of health for preventing the spread
of pulmonary tuberculosis"
1t may be true that consumption is a
communicable dlsease-in some cases it
doubtless is. At the same time it may
well be questioned whether it's contagious
character is sufficiently assertive to war
rant treating ii as smallpox, diphtheria
and other contagious are treated-that is
by isolating the patient and quarantinlng
those who minister to him. The great ma
jorlty of people who mingle with consump-
tives never contract the disease. People
wait on them and sleep with them for
years without being injuriously affected
There would undoubtedly be strong objec-
tion by relatives and friends of victims to
being either separated from the afflicted
or kept in quarantine for n long period of
time; sometimes It takes months and years
for the disease TO run its course. 1t is by
no means certain, therefore. that cons,imp-
tion can be successfully placed on plane
with diseases which are of short duration
and dangerously infectious and treated ac-
cordingly. Much might he done. however,
toward losseninS the chances of infection
without resortinE to such vigorous meth
ods