Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-02-16
DREAD CONSUMPTION
MAY BE SUCCESSFULLY CON-
BATTEO

MAY BE SUCCESSFULLY CON-
BATTED
If the Instructions of the State Medical Board
Are Followed-It is Thought that Disease
Which Causes More Deaths than Any Other
Two May Become Rare if Proper Treatment
is Given Patients--The Main Specific is Air
and Sunshine.
Not only is consumption one of the
most easily cured of all the more dam
gerous diseases, but by proper care in
preventing the spread of the disease it
may become as rare as smallpox.
In New York city, where law was
passed to prevent the spread Of the
disease there has been a marked de-
crease in the number of its victims al
ready, and much better results are
confidently looked for.
At the last session of the Legisla-
ture a bill was passed very much like
the New York law, which provides
that every physician shall report to
the health board every case of con-
sumption. The health board shall
send out to the person 50 reported or
to the head of the family, instruc-
lions for the treatment of the disease
and to prevent its spread to other
members of the family or associates,
and also, in case of the removal of the
consumptive patient, disinfect the
premises in case the owner fails to
have them disinfected, the expense Of
such disinfection becoming a lien
upon the property.
Nearly everybody, at some time in
their lives, has consumption, which is
a small worm or bug that eats up the
tissues of the lungs or other parts of
the body. but oxygen, pure air and
sunshine, kills these animals, and in
healthy person whose tissues are firm
and vigorous the bacilli find no
chance to make a settlement and
breed, so they die out.
The circular and instructions which
the State Me,lical Society and the
State Board of Health are preparing
to send out are as follows:
Consumption is the most common
and the most fatal of all diseases; it
causes about one out of every seven
deaths; it is a disease of the lungs,
caused by germ which is breathed
into the lungs or gets into the body
with the food. This germ of con-
sumption comes only from some other
person or animal which has the dis
ease. Consumption does not come
from taking cold, though cold may
make it easier for the germs to gain a
foothold; but the germs Of consump-
ton must be there to cause consump-
ton, and these germs come only from
another consumptive, directly or indi-
rectly.
The material which consumptives
cough or spit up contains these germs
(often one consumptive spits up thous-
ands in one day. and when this stuff,
spit upon the floor, carpet, wall or
sidewalk, gets dry and is powdered
with the dust, it floats in the air, the
germs of consumption are in it and
are breathed into the lungs by other
people. Or tie spit OF consumptive
gets on his fork, spoon, cup or on his
towel or handkerchief, and unless
these are thoroughly scalded in boil.
ing water before being used by an
other, the germs Of consumption may,
and often do, find entrance into an
other persons body and give that per-
son consumption.
The breath Of consumptive does
not carry the germs, but the spit or
expectorated stuff does, therefore
every bit of spit or expectorated ma.
terial from consumptive must be de-
stroyed and the germs killed before
the spit dries or passes to another.
If this were always done (and it can
be- with but little trouble) consump-
ton would be almost entirely wiped
out of existence.
A consumptive is only dangerous to
others because of his bad habits, and
chiefly because he casts about indis-
criminately the germs OF consumption n
in his spit or expectoration. So long
as he does this he is giving the disease
to others and is dangerous.
Never spit on the floor, carpet, side
walk or street or wall. Whenever
possible-at home, in store or Office
spit into a cup. containing carbolic
acid water, made by adding two tea
spoonfuls of carbolic acid to half
cup of water. The water prevents the
spit from becoming dry and the car
bolic acid kills the germs. Crude or
commercial carbolic acid is as good as
any and costs less than the refined.
Twice day empty the cup into the
fire or closet and scald the cup we'll.
Never spit into an ordinary handker-
chief; the spit gets dry or it is smeared
on the hands OF nose when next used
or gets on the hands of some one else.
When you can not use the cup, spit
into a piece OF muslin or in a Japanese
paper napkin; something that you can
burn, and burn it before the spit dries.
The Japanese napkins cost about one