Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-05
STATE SHOULD AID.
Sanitarium Needed in Maine
for Consumptives.
Has an Economic as Well as Hy-
gienic Value.
VI. A. u. Youns's Valuable Paper Taken from
Board Of Health Report.


for State sanitarium for consump-
tives. is made by DR.. A. G. Young in
the report of the State Board of Health
when mas recently been issued. The
p, PEI is "a follows:
Not long ago the idea which ruled
medical thought. as well as that of the
public generally, was that tuberculosis
Is largely due TO heredity, and that the
percentage of durable cases is compar-
atively small. There We're. further
more, no clearly defined rules for its
prevention. Since that time il has been
firmly established that heredity PLAYS
int a small part in the causatior of
tuberculosis; that it is an infectious. or
communicable disease of parasitic
origin: that intellisentIy applied prop
hylactic measures are remarkably sue
cessful in limiting its prevalence; and
that the lives of q large percentage of
persons affected with pulmonary con-
sumption might BE- saved here in our
own State if the modern hygienic
treatment for that disease was applied
70 them. and If the facilities for its ap
rication were rendered available
This advance in what We know about
the disease. tuberculosis. presents some
questions relating To- the duty of the
| state. of municipalities. and Of society
! generally. in an entirely new light. 81
/ long as il was believed that a large
death rate from consumption is an I'M
Cd. aVoida bic concOmitant OF our modern
/ civiliZa tion. there was no clear prescn-
| tation Of duty. but since it is shown
that thousands Of lives are wasted in
this State which might be saved, the
cnprmity OF the dercliction Of duty is
easily apparent if no effort is made tD
( save these lives.
| 1t is only q truthful statement If a
| fact to say that thousands of persons
are dying. inch by inch. through many
months Of suffering, just because they
are unable to pay the cost Of their
| cure. 50 far as may be, this wrong
should be righted in the name of hu-
| manity. But in the death of these citi-
Zcns. needed in the industrial and So
cial development Of the State We an
nually lose hundreds OF thousands of
| dollars. Added to this is the increase
| in the burden of State and municipal
expenditure due TO the poverty and
pauperism which often follow in the
wake Of this malady.
1t is not alone the poor who are help
! less upon the advent of consumption
/ In many fairly well-to-do homes. when
the head Of the famiiy-is stricken with
a disease which. for 50 many months.
makes him an invalid and rapidly con-
sumes his savings. the household Of
ten comes to feel the bitter bite Of
Strengthened circumstances, whether
! the patient does or does not make
| fight for life by climatic change or In
other ways which necessitate unusual
expenditures during period of lessen
ed earnings.
! Aside from the pathetic spectacle of
| so large a number of persons perish
! ing for the want OF temporary help
which would save many Of them, an
Other serious incident Of the situation
! presents itself. In many homes where
! there are cases Of consumption. the
| sick persons are a source of grave dan
ger to their helpless families, and even
to The general public. Each person re-
moved from his unfavorable home sur
roundiugs lessons the number of foci
Of infection by one and by preventing
the communication Of the disease 70
others multiple sources Of infection are
often avoided.
/ Thus sanitarium which might save
( the lives of 90 persons annually would
1 have much farther reaching infiu-
ence for good than the mere saving Of
that number of lives. Each person who
/ has been an inmate of a modern sani-
tarium for consumptives. whether he
goes home cured or not. goes as SAM
| tary missionary. Through the disci-
pline of the sanitarum he has had in
stilled into his mind. by preccpt and by
| the example Of the other patients that
( he must for his own recovery breathe
I flesh airand otherwise lead an hygienic
| life, and that he must at home. at his
work and at all times avoid endanger-
/ ing others-and just how To fulfill his
duty to himself and others i'll this respect
| he has been thoroughly taught. The
| beneticent moral influence in the state
OF these santarium graduates would
| be very great. Thus the value of the
educatiye influence of a sanitarium
would be inestmable.
The public health as Lord Bea-
consiield said. is the foundation on
which reposes the happiness of the
people and the power of a country"
! The duty of the State which is Of par
amount importance. is the preservation
zens. Everything eise-industriai and
| commercial development. education.
the retnements nf ciyilizaton-palls
in significance to this.
| That every civilized state recognizes
its obligation 10 protect the lives, OF its
citizens, and TO succor its unfortunate,
is evident. Its hospitals for the insane,
its general. hospitals, its orphan asy-
lums. its provisions for the blind and
for the deaf and DUMP, its care of the
feeble minded and the idiotic. its sup
port of paupers. attest this. All are
provided for except the. unfortunate
consumptive-he alone remains with
out help. New exigencies have been
| thrust forth by an advancing pathol-
ogy. Many general hospitals are now
closed against him. In the hotels at
many health resorts he is not wanted.
Much of the large expenditure now
made for }unfortunates is for persons
for whose future usefulness as citizens
there is little or no hope. 1t is made,
and rightly made. IN the name of hu-
mainly. The great majority of con-
sumptives. on the other hand, are per
l.. Il 1.