The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-19

that tuberculosis is the least contagious
OF the germ diseases At the same time
the influence OF civilization make for its
dissemination. The death rate from II
in crowded cities is far greater TO pop
ulation than it is in country districts.
In Berlin 1850 persons die every year
from tuberculosis: in Paris. 1000 lives
are sacrificed to it, while in Chicago
$500 victims are numbered The awful
significance of these figures is better
understood when II Is pointed out. as
does Bertiilon, that In each LOCO deaths
from tuberculosis. 100 out Of the number
are between the ages of 20 and = years
the bread winners and the home
makers of the world.
DUST AND MILK CARRY GERMS
The most common conveyances for
the bacilli Of tuberculosis are dust par
ticles in the air and the milk from cows
suffering with the disease. Through
the air. the germ from dried sputum
finds Judgment in lung tissues, and pull
monary tuberculosis or consumption is
the result. From milk, the germ causes
tuberculosis Of the digestive organs. In
either case the duration of the disease
is from two 10 three years.
Given a case of tuberculosis. the pa
tents station in life has much TO do
with his chances for recovery. In the
crowded tenement quarter of the great
cities, bad air. insufficient sunlight and
lack of proper nourishment make
against the individuals recovery. In
Paris. observations by Leon Petit so to
show that of tuberculosis, the poor die
in comparison with the rich in the pro
portion of five to one: SOrenson, IN Co
penhagen, points out that of the deaths
from all causes among the better class
es. tuberculosis numbers 260 to the
1000. while among the poor. to the
100. 600 OF population, olS die from that
disease.
Most striking of all. perhaps, are the
figures for the United States with rela-
ton to the negro. In proportion to the
white population, the negro dies OF tu-
bercuIosis in the ration of to l.
With reference to infectiOusnesS. the
commissioners of the British Medical
association have reported upon 1l9
cases in which husbands have infected
their wives. and upon siXty-Dine cases
in which infection passed from the
wives to the husbands. In 12.146 cases
in which search for hereditary faint
extended to the grandparents OF the pa
tents. 62.3 per cent showed evidences
of heredity.
With such startling figures upon the
consciousness of the disease, its dead
illness is even more appalling Zubiana
says of it:
"Of all tubercular subjects diagnosed
by the ordinary means. 20 per I-1t u'e-
y percentage of cures of 20 10 20 repre-
sents a notable progress.
PROPORTION or CASES DURABLE.
Dettweiner has figured that 24.2 per
cent of cases of tuberculosis may De
cured: Brayner, PIG per cent, and
Nielsen. - yer cent. No one method or
OF treatment has been fixed upon above
another. The fav0ring Influences OF Ger
tain climates have been very generally
acknowledged Dieting and physical
exercise have. been found very be>le-
fetal. IT is known that sunlight Is
especially destructive 10 the bacillus OF
tuberculosis But after all the great
discovery that is yet to.be made, is still
ahead of medical science. and as for
actual accom- lishments toward a ma
terial specific. KOch's discovery of the
bacillus has not been of signal benefit
1t led 10 establishing the fact or the
righteousness o. tuberculosis. and II
has been {. kew to the movements of
science against it. Beyond this, the ply
stefan Of today is cropping pretty much
as he sroped fifteen years ago.
With this germ-key, however. ne has
been enabled to trace causes Of 3r-ec-
ton to many of the lower animals.
Cattle, above all the domestic animals
are subject to tuberculosis, and an in
fected udder in the mich COW causes
the milk from that animal to be a dan
gerous vehicle of communication.
SWINE. next to cattle. are most fire.
ouently infected. tuberculosis is rare
liz horses, infrequently found in sheep,
but is common in nearly all varieties
cf domestic fowls Zurn. reporting upon
the bodies Of 600 barnyard fowls. found
10 per cent of them showing tubercu-
losis. Dogs suffer from it. cats are
more frequently affected. and in mon
KEYS the disease is very common. Rats
and mice are not immune. and Sibiey
claims TO have found the bacillus in
snakes frogs and even eartnworms.
Thus. aside from the menace that
may come to him from his own lind
who are suffering from the disease,
man IS menaced by nearly every one
of the domestic animals. The disease
may be the least contagious Of TIE
germ diseases, but the element os cor
tagion is strong enough to make pre-
vention worth soberest consideration.
PREVENTING TUBERCULOSIS.
In general, that prevention is. best as
sured by careful attention 10 ones gen