New-York tribune., 1902-04-21

Deaths from consumption in this city have
been decreasing for years. This is due largely TO
the growing knowledge of the infectious char
acter of the disease and the necessity for taking
great care to prevent it's transmission. This
knowledge has been spread in various ways
through the dgent efforts of the Board OF
Health The death rate from consumption in
many other cities is also declared to be de-
creasing in proportion to the population, and
this is true not only Of America but of Europe
The general decrease in deaths from consump-
ton over a large part of the civilized world is
attributed to the announcement of the discov-
cry of Koch in 1882 that consumption is in
fectious and his declaration of the necessity for
destroying the sputa.
An interesting statement on the decrease IN
the number of deaths from consumption In this
city was given to Tribune reporter recently
by Dr. William H. Gulfoy, register of the Board
of Health. He said there had been a gradual
decrease in the number Of deaths from con-
sumption in this city for twenty years past In
1881 the death rate from consumption was 4.27
a Thousand population and in 1901 It was only
$50 thousand. The doctor accordingly esti-
mated that 3 IS1 lives had been saved from 1881
TO 1901 in Manhatt ttan and The Bronx. and about
6 43O lives had been saved in the entire greater
city with a population of 100000. For the
first quarter of this year there were ~ rewer
deaths from consumption in this city than for
the corresponding quarter last year When
asked how he explained the decrease in the num-
ber of deaths from consumption DR.. Guilfoy re-
piled that IL was due in part to measures in
stftuted by the Board of Health, at least since
1896 1t was also due to the spread Of knowl-
edge that consumption is an infectious disease
and that more care is taken in regard TO the
sputum The measures of the Board of Health
In having every room used by q tuberculous
natf4nt cleaned have been very important Dr.
Guilfov said that when the reporting or cases
Of consumption to the Board of Health was
started about 1896 the board did not get half
the cases. but now the majority Of cases were
reported.
DISEASE CURABLE IN EARLY STAGES
"A person sick with consumption the doctor
added, doesn't realize it, He doesn't realize II
70 the end He iuagines he has cold. and lets
II run along for months. BY methods OF scien-
tifc diagnosis consumption can be detected
and the earlier 1t is diagnosed the better Con-
sumption is undoubtedly durable in its early
stages.
merit of the Board of Health declared that the
decrease in deaths from consumption was large
w due to the increased knowledge or the nature
Of the disease and its of Transmission.
and to the greater care taken FOR It's prevention
Improvement In the general hyglenic conultloIis
under which the tenement house population was
living was also a considerable factor The doc
tor remarked that IL was more than n1teen
wears since the Department OF Health under
his direction had taken up this investgatlon'
and for eight or nine years all the deaths from
tuberculosis and reported cases had been fol-
lowed by visit by inspectors OF the depart
mont and instructions given. and where neceS-
sary the premises had been renovated ana diS-
infected knowledge of the communlcapIe
character of the disease had thus been very
widely disseminated. In DR.. Biggss opinion
tnberculosis is to be regarded as a strictly pre-
ventable disease. and he is conndent tne VIA
sta+istics Of the next ten years will show a
very material and still larger reduction than III
the past. ,t.rro
What is specially necessary and deSlraoie'
he doctor went on say. is wider disSeTnlha-
tion Of knowledge as to the communicable nat
ure of the disease. the danger from the expec-