The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-08-21
ANOTHER WARMING.

Though much has been written upon
tuberculosis, and though masses of
statistics are put forward showing the
fearful ravages of this disease, the pro-
per fear of it does not seem to be
stamped on the community. A recent
number of the Therapeutic Gazette"
says very few persons, even physi-
clans in actual practice, who see num-
berless cases of pulmonary tuberculo-
sis, are sufficiently impressed with the
very extraordinary prevalence and
great mortality of the disease"
Our own Board of Health seems quite
apatkctic in the matter. tuberculosis
has killed and is killing in this city of
Honolulu far more people than ever the
plague killed or typhoid fever. or all
fevers combined. Yet beyond some
learned dissertations the Board does
nothing, and when urged to take steps
in one particular direction falls upon
a dead letter rule of four or five years
ago, or throws the burden upon some
one else.
We get into terrible state over
leprosy, yet for one leper on the Islands
there are probably twenty people af
fiicted with tuberculosis and every one
is a center of infection, the microbes of
the dried sputum being waited in every
direction.
OF the So, 600, 900 deaths yearly, in the
entire world, at least 100000 or one
seventh die of tuberculosis In places
where accurate statistics are kept the
rate is sometimes a little smaller as for
IDl,s1, Ill ,r-1,1 tl,,
death rate from tuberculosis is eleven
and eight-tenths per cent. DR.. Evans
of Chicago who has made a study of
the statistics of tuberculosis says that
the death-dealing possibilities so. far
exceed the mortality of all other infec-
tlous disease with which the human
race is threatened that their mortality
seems puny and insignificant when
compared with it.
German statistics show that tuber-
culosis kills thirty times more people
than smallpox and scarlet fever COM
bined, sixteen times more than typhoid
fever, eight times more than diph iberia,
and four and a half times as many as
all these diseases combined. In Chica-
go tuberculosis kills four times as many
people as diphtheria, seven times as
many as scarlet fever and one and two
third times as many as diphtheria,
smallpox, scarlet fever, typhoid
measles and meningitis combined
Taking the economic view and calcu-
lating the cost of annual medical at
tendance, nursing, etc, upon those suf-
fering from tuberculosis the calculation
So do nv. l,ot &c
to fully 1914, 900, 900. While if we figure
on the basis of those who die from tub
erculosis and count the cost of the legal
compensation for the life of an indivi-
dual, we find that the cost of tubercu-
losis to the American people each year
is $3.50, 100000, all or most of which
could be saved. The cost of the Cuban
war, or the Philippine war, or the prob
able cost of the Chinese war sinks into
insignifcance before these figures.
There is curious condition to be
found among the laity and portion
of the medical profession towards tub
erculosis. This condition is the senti-
ment that patients already infected
with pulmonary tuberculosis shall not
have their feelings hurt or be made
miserable by being ostracized or isol-
ated and separated from their com
rades. on "r
But we have no hesitation in taking
from their homes people suffering from
Cholera, or plague, or smallpox, and
isolating them so that if they die they
die among strangers. If a person is
found to have leprosy he is at once
ostracized and with us isolated, while
lurid pens write up vivid pictures of
the settlement. There is far more dan
ger to the community from eonsump-
ton than from leprosy and it is just as
much a case of living death.