The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-26
TIE TUBERCULOSIS CONGRESS-.

TIE TUBERCULOSIS CONGRESS-.
The proceedings Of the tuberculosis
congress in London vii he watched with
profound interest by tie enlightened
world. No such scourge has in recent
times afflicted the human race as tat of
| consumption. Minor questions, such as
the immunity of human beings from in
| lection by bovine tuberculosis, can well
be made to wait ON future research and
experimentation, as suggested. The de-
vising of the ways and means of min
imizing the spread of the affection will
without doubt be greatly broadened and
improved as the result of the present
congress.
sional and non-medical world seemed to
have accepted unquestioningly the heredi-
tary theory of consumption Little or no
attention was before that bestowed on
prevention through natural precautions
against infection. While it was general
ly believed that unfavorable sanitary
surroundings were to be avoided no one
seemed to recognize the intimate connec-
ton between the spread of the affection
and the sanitary conditions attending tho
environment.
All this has since been changed. Since
the city of New York took the initiative
some fifteen years ago the work has
been carried on in that and other com
munities until it may be said with much
truth that the high enccmiums bestowed
on DR.. Briggs of that city by Prof. Koch
might be applied without undue credit
to many other men of the medical pro-
fession charged with the protection of
the public health in American cities.
The adjournment of the London con-
gress will leave the world richer in
knowledge Of means of both prevention
and cure of this dread disease 1t may
be many years before the work which
Pasteur has accomplished in the cure Of
hyprophobia finds a parallel in the case
of the more widespread disease. But it
will come
Meanwhile society will have undergone
in the next few years a course of educa-
ton as to the disease which will result in
seriously lessening the number of its VIC
TINS. Among the immediate results will
probably be the general establishment
of hospitals or sanitariums to be de-
voted to the exclusive treatment of this
disease and more general recourse to
the open air theory of treatment
The general public will be expected to
cooperate in the efforts which are thus
being put forward to bring to an end
the worst disease known to humanity, In
every enlightened community, from st.
Paul to New Orleans and from New York
to Portland, greater cr less precautions
are being taken against the public prop
agation of the disease 1t is the coop
Grafton of the enlightened public on
which this movement must depend for
its success or failure All movements
to prevent expectoration on sidewalks,
in street cars or other public resorts
must be sustained by the public and by
the public authorities. The improve
ment of public and private sanitation,
the promotion of public and private
cleanliness. the establishment of such re-
sorts as are and will be maintained on
Harriet island in this city, will be neces-
sary for the complete success of the
measures which are under discussion, and
will be universally accepted as in great
measure the result of the present anti
tuberculosis congress at London