New-York tribune., 1900-01-26
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
AGAINST STATE SANAToRIA.
DIRECTIONS URGED TO THIS METHOD OF
FIGHTING CONSUMPTION.
r. ,hs rs,to- ., The Tribune

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue OF January my esteemed coll
league. Dr. Knopf, undertakes to prove that my
position in regard to State sanatorium for cases
OF incipient tuberculosis among the poor is incor-
rect
I therefore beg permission to present a few more
facts in relation to the matter. II DR.. Knopf had
ca-afully read what have written upon this sub
ject he would have discovered that my contention
Is that is perfectly useless TO attempt to stamp
out tuberculosis by means of State sanatoria, and
that each county should properly provide for its
own sick poor while the resources of the State
should be used. If at ali. to guard all Of the citi
zeus of the State against contracting the disease
II needs no elaborate argument to prove that the
proposition as it stands contemplates very large
expenditure of money upon the part of the State,
and is equally clear that should the Legislature
appropriate the amount asked for it would be
totally inadequate to control the disease. The
tuoercle bacillus is not confined to the novels Of the
poor. the crowded tenement houses, but at
tacks persons in all classes of society The disease
is conceded to be infectious and is supposed to
spread from individual TO another in manner
similar TO that of typhoid fever. The question,
then. is. Will the establishment of State sana-
torfum as proposed protect the citizens Of this
State from this disease?
Most assuredly it will not In the first place. it
is proposed TO deal only with the incipient cases
among the poor, leaving the advanced cases as
centres of infection and allowing the rich who can
OF the State to the other
Secondly, il cannot because in order to stamp out
contagious disease the quarantine must not only
include all Of the infected persons but must guard
against every source of infection. II the PROPOSE
ton were enlarged to include the quarantine of
every infected person in the State 1t would still be
inadequate, as one Of the chief sources Of infec-
tion would remain
The tuberculosis Committee Of the New-York
State Board of Health IN its report for the years
1887 and 1898. asserts that of the chief
OF tubercular infection is the infected food prod
ucts from tuberculous cattle.
It Is therefore probable that should every in
fected person in the State be quarantined immedi-
stey and infected persons from other States be
fused admission to the State of New-York, within
one year a very large additional number would
show signs Of the disease unless this Of In
fection is removed
As well might the State attempt to pump Lake
Ontario dry while the Niagara River continues TO
discharge into the lake fits huge volume of water
as TO attempt TO stamp out tuberculosis by means
OF quarantine and sanatora while its citizens con-
tinue 10 partake Of infected food products
Granting that every infected person may become
eentre OF infection, the question arises whether
the danger from this Is sufficiently urgent to
demand isolation.
The NeW-York State Board of Health in fits re-
port for 1897 states that the number of deaths from
tubercular disease in the congested districts Of
New-York and Brooklyn has shown a steady de-
crease each year for tho last FIVE years. owing to
the unusual precautions taken by the local Boards
Of Health. In addition TO this it is freely ad-
mitted by sanatarians that when consumptive
carefully attends TO the destruction Of his sputum
he may with impunity mingle freely with his
family
This is encouraging, and shows that the disease
is not as readily conveyed from person to
another as some have supposed, and that It is
within the power OF local Boards Of Health deal
WI WIZ lI enectqally What seems to be required is
a " oft heir
Discretionary power by the various Health Boards
these Boards the medical profession
An1other phase OF this subject should not be
infected food products is the habit INDUCED in by
cnes INSPIRED nv tbe Io nea
IN both the secular and religious press of remedies
number prescribe for themselves discovering when
TOO late that they have been grossly deceived and
tAat their lives must pay the forfeit 1t is indeed
extremely doubtful whether the majority of cases
of incipient tuberculosis can be discovered until
the Legislature prohibits the sale of these
The suggestion has been made that a State sana-
toTfum could be used as an experimental station,
DDS Of treatment tested No reasonable objection
gould gould be made to an appropriation to enable the
disease ana the best methods to be adopted in
be carried on in connection with the sanatoTinm at
sSaIa9nae Lake without the expense Of a new
The question Of expense should the State under
take 10 control this disease by quarantine, is ap-
palling DR.. Veeder estimates the number of in
u fected persons in the State at fifty thousand
the eest calculation. cost about day per capita
of the cost Of buildings eonipment 70 megdics ag
tendance etc. And when we add to this the neces-
saTy amount required TO protect our citizens from
Infected food products the conclusion is ire
sistible that even the Empire State cannot assume
The arguments Of those who favor an atteront TO
able and exhaustive but. ike the wondePfu
one,,horse shay they are no stronger than their
They forget to tell US that. as rule sanator,a.
select their cases refusing all except those which
theSe seller
per cent As good better results in selected
Il is a matter Of record that from 1884 to 1895
(Which is the last published reporO the decrea Sc
New-York 14s per cent. This result was OBJ
tanned by means Of the unusual precautions taken
aid Of special hospitals This proves that the dis
practically eradicated by the persistent and tner
getie use Of the agencies now in existence
quarantine and State sanatoria should Therefore re
be abandoned, and the same modus operandi OBJ
served obtains other Infectious diseases viz:
Health and proper hygiene taught by the phys-
family changes its location the Board of Health
should be notified, and the vacated apartments,
under the supervision of the health authorities
e Be q iOT hoGd s Be
directed 10 cause the slaughter Of all infected ami
mails and the destruction of all infected food prod
ncts in the State. and TO maintain rigid quaran-
tine against infected animals and infected food
periodically every herd of cattle in the State
In addition, immediate steps should be taken to
the public schools IN order that the rising gem
Grafton may know how to avoid disease. II neces-
er upon the State Board Of Health, and appropriate
m a1 amount IT. Of money sufficiently large to enable it
iOrced' VIII yield the h9eF42y. most happy %Ees%ts results
New-YOrk. Jan. IS, $50 800 l. nAf'loN' M T.
RUSKINS PRACTICALLY.