New-York tribune., 1900-01-08
! CURE OF CONsUMPTIVEs.
VIEWS REGARDING CARE OF THOSE AT
FLICTED BY THE DISEASE.
COST OF STATE INsTITUTIoNs-ExPE
MENTs NEEDED FOR STUDY
OF THE DISEASE.

NEEDED EOh STUDY
OF THE DISEASE.
Lyons, N. Y, Jan. (SpsciaD.-An effort was
made last year TO ure the passage of bill by
the State Legislature for the establishment Of
State hospitals for the treatment of consumptives
and for the passage of such resolutions by the
State Board of Health would tend to prevent the
spread OF consumption The bill not passed
and after the Legislature adjourned the State
Board OF Charities appointed special committee
composed OF DR.. Harvey W. Putnam, OF Buffalo
Dr. Enoch V. Stoddard. of Rochester. and Dr.
Stephen Smith. of New-York, to investigate and
report to the State Board as to what they deemed
to be the best measures be taken to prevent the
spread of consumption and tubercular diseases in
this State
DR.. NJ. a. Veeder, who is a member of the Com
mttee Hygiene OF the State Medical Society,"
has for years been much interested in this mat
ter. He appeared before the committee in Roch-
ester and gave his opinion Of what should be done
by the State to check the ravages of consumption.
In interview with The Tribune correspondent
DR.. Veeder said
There is no dlscountng the statement that State
care of consumptives means great deal. There
are those who argue that every locality able to
and that the State should erect and maintain one
or more hospitals where localities unable to main,
tain local hospitals might send their patients and
pay for their care and maintenance | do not know know
ties will report, aIfboueh % # is rUmored that II
will report in favor of the State establishment of
1t is question whether the concentrating Of a
tb TbeT 81 d hes great fo abY c
increasing the amount Of infection IN the vicinity
Of consumptives and to establish regular quaran-
tine system would involve the procuring of a
over thirteen thousand deaths occur annually in
eases and possibly fifty thousand consumptive pa.
tients would be a low estimate. The expense Of
procuring this home would have TO be raised largely
by public taxation, the earning power OF the
confined consumptives would be practically nothing.
DANGER OF DISEASE FROM CATTLE.
y in cattle, especially among the highest bred cat
tie, those owned by the richer classes; Even If
bercuIin test are slaughtered the sources Of in
fection do not appear to be removed the herds be.
require to be made. Importation Of consumptives
from outside the state would continue and would
Again, there is tendency in all State institutions.
funds, to expend money extravagantiy in the erec-
ton Of elegant and costly buildings while through
politicians who always looking for a fat job
State care of consumptves along the line said to
be suggested by the committee would make lot
OF new offices to be filled by politicians, but would
the Dement'S be commensurate with the cost!
The cost of State of the insane of idiots and
of epileptics is great and burdensome item of ex
esTe Of sohs9mptyes It Would Would enSaii the expend:
who complain because of the Erie Canal and it's
expense would find that State care Of Consump-
tives would cost ten times as much year the
OF the Capitol at Albany would be a mere drop
erect hospitals for State treatment and of con-
sumptlVeS.
Ny idea is that the State should establish an
experimental hospital and laboratory. possibly
might be termed, tubercular diseases should be
Investigated in thorough manner. and discovery
might be made of the reason why herds of cattle
are are infected and SO easily reinfected with tuber;
cattle, owned by the richer classes, and kept in
the most approved and sanitary manner. Expert
ments could be made as TO the effects Of life in
snP n and sucb hehF ffas hsTe m Bea
isolation is apt to do as much harm as good, even
after the expenditure Of millions of dollars: and it
and establish an experimental station or labora-
tory in order to ascertain proper methods for the
hygienic control of this dreaded disease.
TO TREAT INCIPIENT STAGES
I would draw the line far short, of attempting
quarantine idea, and would advise that provision
and see what could be done in reference to con-
trolling the disease among those who stand a
from s,t that Of erecting a home or homes for in
sand Of consump1e and it is wit6n t5 0F
of possibility if the State could do something in
the way of perfecting our knowledge Then sub
stantial steps might be taken and complete Grad
ication Of the disease result
So far any among cases in the early
stages is concerned, our present knowledge seems
to indicate that 1t is question of temperature and
that the bacillus which produces consumption has
its growth hindered by even a slight degree of
ERECT simply because of the flooding of the lungs
cacy of mountain climate depends upon cooler air
in these localities and upon the Quichening and
this principle correct, it's study in all
details is of the highest Importance it affording
the best prospect OF in incipent stages, in
stead of mere HOPELESS quarantine, with results
that might be injurious, instead of beneficial. In
any event, the whole subject is in its formative
stages, and no plan should be adopted on a large
scale unless fully justified by experiment a
more limited scale.
There is doubt that the failure of the attempt
| to establish State sanitariums last year was due
! to the feeling among the members of the Legis-
lature that 1t had not been made clear to what
would be the outcome, both regards success in
controlling the disease and to the expenditure
! involved. In other words. 1t is question as 10
where the line should Re drawn. Until it is deter
mined precisely what il is proposed accomplish
! there VIII continue to be the same reluctance to
! interfere.