St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-08-07
To CONQUER Consumption.

tuberculosis, the most terrible
scourge Of the human race, may be con-
quered and annihilated. This is the YER
dict Of the worlds most famous au-
thorities on the dread disease. At the
recent tuberculosis congress held in
London and attended by the leading
scientists of many countries it was
agreed that not only could the spread
of the mal2dy be checked, but that it
is durable The old time notion that
consumption Is hereditary disease has
for some years been repudiated by the
leading physicians Of the world, but
there has not until this London con-
gress been a decisive statement from
the doctors that it was possible to en-
tirely eradicate it by curing it's victims
and preventing it from attacking 9TH
ers
The most important address deliver
ed at the British tuberculosis congress
was that Of DR.. Koch, the famous Ger
man scientist. He has long been recog-
nized as the chief investigator Of con-
sumption, and his announcements at
different periods during the past few
years have attracted wide attention. 1t
was natural therefore, that what he
might say before gathering of scien-
toto nd 1.obopc li1yn hiDOca1f would
make a deep impression not only upon
those present, but upon the medical fra
ternity throughout the world, as well
as upon all those who are concerned in
the physical conditions Of the race and
the surroundings which make for the
good health Of the community.
Professor Koch, after positively reas-
sorting that there was no foundation
for the old claim that tuberculosis was
hereditary and that from his investiga-
lions he had determined that there is
little if any danger to man from bovine
tuberculosis, though the congress was
markedly divided on this point, declar-
ed that the sputum of consumptive per-
sons must be regarded as the main
source of the infection of tuberculosis
and that measures for combating the
disease must aim at the prevention of
dangers arising from the diffusion of
the infected sputum.
Much, the professor said, will have to
be done in this direction. Consumptives
who cough out tubercle bacillus are not
necessarily a source of infection on
that account so long as they take care
that their sputum is properly removed
and rendered innocuous. Among the
poor this prevention is difficult. Where
families live in cramped quarters and
nurses are impossible it is out Of the
| question to expect proper care and
watchfulness. Thus several members
Of one family may die Of consumption,
and therefore it has been declared that
the disease was hereditary. The dis
charge Of the sputum of consumptives
in public places has also spread the dis
ease, as the bacillus in moist state or
as dust in the atmosphere has been
taken into the system of others. But
Professor Koch charges that the crowd
ed condition Of the poor in cities pro-
duces the gravest peril in this connec-
ton. He advocates, besides the ordi-
nary precautionary steps against the
spread Of the disease, improvement in
the housing Of the poor and special hos
pitfalls for consumptives, where there
shall be no charge for care and treat
ment Here, he says, is field for the
rich who would like to find way to
give of their superiority for the benefit
Of their poor and heavily afflicted fell
low creatures.
Another interesting address was de-
livered before the congress by Pro-
fessor Brouardel, dean of the faculty
Of medicine at Paris, who not only
supported Professor Koch's statements,
but went further. He said that con-
sumption was not only durable In the
early stages, but that it could be cured
when the patient was beyond the first
two stages, provided he was isolated.
Tubercular contamination, he declared,
can be avoided, and the disease can be
cured.