New-York tribune., 1899-12-24
7 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
STAMPING OUT CONSUMPTION
-r,r, VIEWS OF A PHYSICIAN ON TBB VALUE OF
NITARIITM

srANPTNG OUT CONSUMPTION.
,rr,p VIEWS OF A PHYSICIAN ON TBD VALUE OF
4 sANITARIUM.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: An earnest effort is being made oy siH""
number OF physicians to create puphc ol'"'o"
which will be in favor Of the expenditure Dy tne
State OF a large amount of money for the purpose
OF establishing State sanitarlum 4ol VI"
ment OF incipient tuberculosis
Enthusiasm is contagious. and there seems !"
he some danger that the negative side Of this queS
ton may be overlooked Unquestonaoy tupeIcu-
losis is a terrible scOurge, but IT Is only syihp
tom Of one which Is far greater-viz., manuTl'lo"
When persons of vigorous constitution are a'.aoNeu
they usually recover well known physician y.
this city recently stated that in large series OK
autopsies over 60 per cent showed healed tuoeIcu-
lous lesions where none had been suspected during
ufe while eminent medical authors state Ihat
from 70 TO 90 per cent OF the cases when are rec
ognized early recover. 1t therefore seems apsuiu
to saddle upon the State the expense or erectlhB'
eouippng and managing a sanitarium for class
OF cases which be properly cared lot anu
treated at home or by private means
Owing 10 a lack of knowledge. which. regret 10
saw is not confined to the aity sufferers from this
disease are informed that nothing short or chahge
of climate will suffice and upon this false hypothe
sis is built up the argument In favor OF 0'a'o
sanitarium.
change Of habit which Is required. Persons suffer
ing from incipient tuberculosis recover just as
surely and just as rapidly here in New-York, when
properly advised and treated, as they do anywhere
else and II Is nothing less than cruel 10 compel
them to leave home and friends 10 reside among
strangers, where the climatic Influence, II II mas
any advantages is more than OFFSET by the prlVa-
tions and homesickness from which these persons
suffer Has the State then. no duty TO perform
Yes is the duty of the state to make an EFFORT TO
remove the conditions which render the lndlVldua
liable infection. tuberculosis is eminently as
ease of malnutrtion. Malnutrition Ia the result
Of wrong habits of livng-viz. overindulgence
through ignorance in things which deplete the sys
tem-improperly prepared food; poorly ventllated
rooms. Offices etc. 1t is should be. the duty
of the State to remove the ignorance when makes
II possible for such state of affairs 70 exist and
II can do that most effectually through the pubic
schools
practical benefit while the really important stud
les such as physiology, hygiene and dietetics, are
barely mentioned
The school curriculum should be revised. thor
olOgy. hygiene and dietetcs should be inserted
The child should be taught the following;
First-About his body and its functions.
second-About the external conditions which the
most surely promote the health of the body
Thrd-About the kind Of food which will best
maintain the integrity Of the body.
Fourth-Every boy and girl should be taught how
properly to prepare food.
When accurate knowledge OF this kind Is the
heritage Of every boy and girl the first great step
toward eradcating tuberculosis will have been
taken. Instead Of deprecated vitality. which
easily falls prey to the tubercle bacih. our citi-
zens Will be strong vigorous and able to with
stand the assaults of disease. l hope, therefore,
that the influence OF your great and valuable paper
VIII be exerted 10 bring about this great reform
JOSHUA l.. BARTON, NJ. D.
New-York, Dec. l6 1899.