The times., 1898-08-07
A MILLION LIVES.
That Is the Number Annually Claim
ed by Consumption


A number of leading medical men in
England recently met to consider the ques-
tion of establishing hospitals to which
poor persons or those of moderate means
can go for treatment. Another meeting
is announced for the purpose of begin
ming the work of raising funds for this
purpose. How necessary it is the Lon
don Telegraph tells, as follows:
ut is we'll known that the ravages Of
consumption are serious in almost all
the countries of Europe, but few peo-
pie. except experts, are aware how ter
rible is the real extent of the mortality
AS a matter of fact, every portion OF
the earths surface is more or less sub
ject to tuberculosis, except the arctic or
subarctic regions the deserts and high
ranges of mountains. II we come to
precise figures we shall find that out Of
the whole population of these islands one
in every eleven dies of phthisis in some
form or another.
"The annual tribute paid to this dread
full disease In Europe Is, according to
Prof. Leyden, not less than one million
lives. In France the situation Is worse,
for there the average is as high as one
in six; and, indeed, IL has been estimated
that If we take the general ranks OF
humanity. nearly half of the persons who
live to middle age suffer or have suf-
fered from tubercular infection. Or we
may put 1t in another way: If we add
together all the dreadful maladies which
affiict the wretched race of manly
phoid diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles,
smallpox, cholera-even when united they
do not claim half as many victims as
those killed by phthisis
There is, then. no doubt of the preVa-
lence of consumption, and the next ques-
ton is what humanity can do more thah
has been done to rid itself of so dire and
persistent a plague. The answer, though
il is not always clear. Is fairly plain to-
day In many countries energetic at
tempts have been made TO combat the en-
emy, especially In America, in Germany.
in Switzerland, France and Russia. For
some reason not very easy to compre-
hend, Great Britain has Jagged behind
other civilized lands, though, as we un-
derstand, this reproach is very shortly to
be removed from our midst. For the be-
lief is growing among men of science that
not only is consumption durable, but that
there are sanatoria on the face of the
globe in which patients have already
been treated with absolute and defnitive
success. OF course. the disease must be
taken in its earlier forms; no one has
a right to expect that any man or woman
who has been for years subject to the
ravages of the malignant bacillus of con-
sumption can easily. or perhaps ever, get
rid of the enemy.
But the point of Importance to our
population is that consumption, if dealt
with early enough, can be averted or dis
armed by treatment which sounds per-
haps. almost too simple and elementary.
The one great and essential remedy is air
combined with sunshine-bright sunshine,
fresh air. Hence for the ideal sanitarium,
such as can already be found in full
working. both at Cromer and Bourne
mouth, the conditions are: % A we'll
arranged building with a southern as
pect; ~ a dry, pure weil-drained subsoil:
(3) a pure atmosphere, with abundance of
sunlight: (D a garden well protected from
the wind and 90 sheltered verandas, gal
lerieS and arbors facing the sun. Nat
urally, 10 these must be added such indis-
pensable requisites as an adequate nurs-
ing staff and a constant supervision by
medical men. But it is the less necessary
to insist on these last points, because
and every home or establishment devoted
to the cure of disease.
There is a general impres ion that high
attitudes are needed. which makes many
think of Davos Platz and other lofty lev
els in connection with consumption. but,
although from a theoretical point of view
an elevated station or else dry air, such
as we find in deserts. IS of paramount
utility, these things are not at all essen
tial. Three years experience at Cromer.
for instance has convinced DR.. Burton
Tanning Of the practicabiity and extreme
usefulness of the open-air treatment in
England. Moreover, a cure which has
been obtained in the native country of the
sufferer is frequently more lasting and
more assured than one effected in a for
eign climate, especially chosen for its
| geniality.
When it is realized that at the present
moment no less than a quarter of mill
ion persons are suffering in the British
! Isles from consumption, and when we
add to this the fact, well known TO the
medical practitioner, that the disease is.
In real sense, a contagious one, or if
that be not the precise technical express
sion. that it can. at all events. be COM
in the same way as influenza the prob
lem stands before us in all its terrible i'm
portance. 1t becomes in truth, ] national
question"
JOURNALISM IN MANILA.