The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-19
civilixntion,S worst Plague.

1t is seldom that the deliberations Of a
strictly technical congress OF experts pos
sess the elements to attract and hold
| popular attention outside of scientific cir
i eles. But as the people are beginning 10
realize the amazing prevalence OF con-
sumption the forthcoming session Of ply
sicians in Chicago is likely 10 command
! more general notice in May of last year
medical delegates from many countries
4 convened in the city OF Berlin for the pur-
I pose Of thoughtfully considering and de-
( batting the tuberculosis problem. The Chi
cago gathering next month will be prach-
l cally supplementary TO the conference held
in the German capital and the opinion is
expressed that the attending specialists
having mentally digested the facts and
opinions brought out at the 99 conference.
will be better able than ever before to
recommend measures calculated TO guard
the huDlan race against the encroarhments
of disease that has thus far bafled medi-
cal science.
The fact Ct the matter is that the world
has failed to appreciate the extent Of the
disastrous harvest reaped by the tubercle
bacillus. Communities which are imme-
diately startled by a few cases of small
pox. diphtheria. or scarlet fever. and wor-
ried by an outbreak Of inferior contagious
diseases. are apparently but slightly con
cerned regarding the number Of cousump-
tiyes resident among them. They do not
comprehend the fact that tuberculosis
easily leads as the plague OF modern civ
ilization, not only because of its high death
rate, but owing to its insidious and in
durable character The tuberculosis plague
does its work so leisurely and in such
quiet way that little attention is paid TO
its progress. Not being a malady which
suddenly prostrates its victim and pro-
duces death in few hours or days. il has
not excited the fears caused by more yio-
lent. though really less destructive dis
eases.
The statement that consumption is the
worst plague with which the peoples of
civilization are confronted today is sup
ported by rather disquieting array Of
facts For instance, in the census year
lsSs-90. there were in the United States
i02 .lg9 deaths from that disease. The total
number OF deaths from scarlet fever.
measles, dlphtheria and Group, enterc and
malarial fevers combined, in this country
during the same period was only 102.55i.
All the lepers in India outnumber by only
a few thousands the victims claimed BY
consumption in the United States in a sin
gle year.
An investigation Of the prevalence of dis
ease in European countries shows that the
same serious condition is to be found in the
Old World. The approximate ratios Of
various diseases in 10000 deaths show
the following proportion of tuberculosis
victims in the countries named: England.
LOO; France. 100; Germany. 1870: Rus
STA. 1860: Italy. 300; Switzerland. LOO:
Belgium. $50; The Netherlands, $50. and
Scandinavia. Loco. Thus, of every 10000
persons who die in the countries named
II $50 Of them, on the basis Of the ratio
table are afflicted with consumption
Since II is now generally admitted that
the tuberele germ can be transmitted from
person to person. and it is known that the
disease is ineurable. the only way to fight (.
and eliminate 1t is by means of a strictly
sanitary crusade. 1t viii take long time
II indeed 1t is ever accomplished, to edu-
cate the public into accepting the quaran-