Barton County democrat., 1901-08-23
TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTION
the Successful Treatment OF
the Grim Destroyer.

the Successful Treatment OF
the Grim De.troyer.
An ancient writer tells how Xerxes.
after surveying his mighty army Of
million men, was moved to tears by
The thought that a century later not
Dne of all the million would be alive
similar thought was in the mind
Of great pathologist the other day
when he said that 10000, 900 Amer
leans of the present generation are
doomed to die of consumption. He
based his assertion on vital statistics
which show that among civilized peo-
pies over one-seventh of the deaths
Is due to this disease; but statistics
are not unchanging, and happily the
most recent figures open up a new
world OF hope and encouragement,
says the Philadelphia Saturday Even
ing Post.
The great specialists now predict
that the next few years viii see tho
worst enemy of human life numbered
among the durable diseases. AL
ready, conservative doctors are hold
ing out hope to patients who come
to them in early stages of the mall
ady. Their marked success in these
cases, together with the new methods
of meteorological and microscopical
research, has given new impetus to
the study of the disease. More than
that, recent experience has empha-
sized the vital Importance of the ear
lest possible detection of tubercular
tendencies, and progressive medical
men all over the land are watching
for suspicious symptoms with re-
doubled vigilance and fighting them
with new skill.
One by one the old theories of the
disease hae been discredited and new
ones have been accepted in their
stead. Within the decade the child
of a consumptive was regarded as
the certain victim of an inexorable
fate. The new science brings him
new hope-tells him that if he win
live as he should the chances are i'm
his favor Only recently has tubercu-
losis been proved an infectious dis
ease and treated as such. This dis
covery alone has saved untold lives,
and upon its practical recognition de-
pend millions more.
Infinite pathos lurked in the old
idea that for the rich patient, who
could seek high attitudes, there was
reprieve-for the poor man. death
Nowadays we know that pure air is
the curative agent; that the poor man
may find as sure a cure upon his own
roof or in a nearby suburb as tho
wealthy one can seek in the table,
lands of Colorado. With the open
air treatment is coupled scientific
diet of meat and eggs and other food
stuffs rich in nitrogen, which have the
effect of fortifying the system and in
creasing its resisting power.
Hospital authorities who have kept
records of thousands of autopsies say
that large percentage of people, dy-
ing from whatever diseases, exhibit
more or less evidence of having had
tuberculosis at some period of their
lives. In many of these cases nature
has effected her own cure unassisted.
and often without the knowledge OF
the sick man. It is said upon good
authority that the dreaded bacilh at
some time obtain entrance into the
lungs of every individual. Of say,
seven thus attacked four will throw
off the bacillus at once; after a longer
and more serious struggle two will be
eventually cured; the seventh dies.
With the treatment and cure of con-
sumption we have but little intimate
concern. That is something that must
be left to the doctors. What we should
know-every one of us-are the SIM
pie precautions which will enable us
to escape the disease. One thing is
certain: If the tubercular bacilli do
not obtain foothold in our systems
we shall never have tuberculosis.
From this it follows that we should
ever keep our bodies in state OF
preparedness to resist invasions OF
the disease to which we are all ex-
posed-that is, we should see to 1t
that we eat pure food, have plenty OF
exercise and get our fill of sunshine
and pure air.
Germany has ever been leader in
this department of medical investiga-
ton; but America has kept very close
behind, and has even passed her in
the practical application of the great
principles discovered by her scientific
men. In word, she has done her
full share in bringing well-founded
hope to the hopeless, and in working
out a solution for one of the grim
riddles of the ages.