The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-08
THE TUBERCULOSIS ORDER
New York Physicians Discuss the
immigration Ruling.
Fears That European Countries May
Adopt RctnIiutOry 1!eaSuTeS-EN-
perts Believe Inspections Should
He Mnde ut Ports of EmbarI<mtion.

NEW YORK. June S-Some of the lead
ing physicians of this city think that the
order issued by T Y. PowderIy, Commits
siouer General of immigration, debarrins
iEnmisra nts affected with tuberculosis of
tho lungs from entering this country, may
result in certain countries adopting retail
iatory measures. They further believe
that these probable measures may be of
such nature that consumptives who
might be benefited by trip abroad may
be compelled to stay here. and that the
stand taken by this Government in deal
ing with immigrants having tuberculosis
may, moreover. lead to action by States
and municipalities which would practic-
ally keep consumDtives at home Com
missioner Powderly's order has also given
rise to the question as to what diseases
are communicable and those that are con-
t. gious-
Dr. 7 Mitchell Prudden was found in
his laboratory in the College of Physicians
and Surgeons. He said:
This is to be said first. that there is a
great group Of serious diseases, which are
excited by micro-organisms: that is. by
minute living things These are called
infectious diseases The key to the great
advances which medicine has lately made
is the precision OF our conception of the
agent which incites these diseases. When
we speak of a communicable disease we
mean disease in which the organism
causing it Is conveyed from-one person to
another, OF course, the disease itself can
not be communicated for the disease is a
process in the Individual
There are two great groups of these in
feCtious diseases One of these is that in
which the heterogeneous are very read
( lily transmitted through the air, such as
smallpox, scarIatina, measles, etc. These
are more properly spoken of as contagious
diseases All the rest, which make up the
second class, are more properly spoken
of as communicable diseases, and whether
they are likely to be conveyed from the
sick to the well depends very largely upon
the sanitary precautions which are OBJ
served tuberculosis is, in this sense, a
communicable diseases, but not conta-
gious disease, and the danger in not
making the distinction lies in the fact
that in the public mind consumption and
! other diseases Of like nature are closely
/ associated with those involving much
| greater risk Of communication, such as
| smallpox and scarlatina.
Health authorities must deal with both
Of these classes of diseases. but while in
one class the precautions against the
/ spread Of the disease must be prompt,
| vigorous and often summary, in the 9TH
| er more simple and less vigorous meas
Ures are usually all that are required
What do you think of the order re
| garding the deportation Of immigrants
| suffering with tuberculosis Of the lungs?"
| was asked.
| q have heard that an order has been
| issued which will involve the immediate
! return of all tubercuIous persons. but not
!
| and rigor of the enforcement of the or
/ der I should not be justified in giving an
! opinion on it. \ firm enforcement of such
! an order, it seems to me, might often &C
| casion serious and perhaps unwarrantable
/ hardship upon persons arriving at this
! port It seems to me that the better so
| luton of such problem would be sys-
| tematic examination of immigrants at the
| port OF embarkation. a practice which, I
! believe, has been pursued with very eX-
/ celIent results in many infectious dis
! eases II appears to me. Furthermore,
/ that there would be an important gain in
! excluding persons with pulmonary tuber-
| cuIosis on the other side, in that it would
| remove a source Of danger on the voyage
ito immigrants, which. in the
crowded and unsanitary conditions of the
| Storage might be very great
| Dr. \ H. Doty, the Health Officer Of the
| Port. said;
Commissioner Fitch4e's statement that
| cases Of tuberculosis can be detected at
| q glance VIII 1 am quite sure, be received
with some surprise by the medical pro
| fessfon, inasmuch as it is the experience
Of practicing physicians that a diagnosis
of this disease frequently involves not on
| " G most exhaustive physical examina-
ton but the necessity for bacterioIogic-
| al examination also. The protection Of
the public against tuberculosis is 4 subject
| which has long occupied the close atten-
ton Of the medical profession, particular
| " since the specific organism Of this dis
ease was discovered
I'VE have net yet fully decided upon the
most practical method of combating it
| In out own cities and towns at the pres
ent time persons suffering from consump-
| ton are. as a rule, allowed to come and
60 at VIII. 10 visit theatres. churches.
and other public places without restric-
ton Therefore, efforts on the part Of the
! United States Government to prevent the
| immigration to this country of those suf-
| fering from tuberculosis should at least
be consistent and practical In connec-
ton with this matter it is well to take
into consideration the fact that tubcrcu-
losis is constantly in our midst and that
its propagation is due to the free com
| munication which exists between the pub
lie and cases Of this character. rather
than the importation of this disease from
foreign potts.
1T is fair to assume that. as a rule. en-
| igrants bound for the United States come
with the idea of securing some means of
| employment and are in physical condition
| to earn their living Statistics confirm
| this Therefore We would not expect to
| find among them many cases OF tubercu-
losis OF consumption In an advanced
| stage In the early stages the disease
| is frequently not recognized. and emf
| grants who become infected may reach
| the United States and pass to the in
terror Of the country without presenting
| any evidence of tuberculosis. Just how
much they add to it's general propaga-
| ton cannot be estimated although I am
| quite certain it does not largely increase
| the number of cases. If it is the inten-
| ton Of the United States Government
| simply TO prevent the entrance into this
| country of persons suffering from tu-
| bercUlosis in the advanced stages, it is
only necessary to prohibit their en-
| barkation at the port of departure. One
or two weeks, which may be the length
| of the journey here. would probably
make but little change in the condition
| Of the patient; therefore, the disease
| could be as easily detected at u foreign
| port as in New York.
| IF on the other hand. it is intended
! TO detect tuberculosis in all stages. the
I L l.. al s-s..- --,H 9 b.