The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-29

I
leading members of the Lackawanna
County Medical society have been i'm.
pressed with the necessity of having
the health authorities of this city take
more active measures to prevent the
spread Of consumption and reduce the
death rate from that disease to a mini
| mum.
At a recent meeting of the society ii
was decided, after a general discussion
to appoint n special committee to draft
q memorial covering it's views on this
most important question. This memor-
ial. the full text of which is printed be-
low was presented at last nights meet
ing of the society and adopted unani-
| mously:
AT recent meeting of the T.acka wanna
| County Medical society, II was decided
that the society should undertake in the
city of Scranton an active campaign
| against tuberculosis. or consumption
which is the most frequent disease
| throughout the civilized world. 1t causes
| ''n,Coo deaths in the United States yearly,
abou; 5000 in Pennsylvania, and consid-
eraby over 100 in Scranton. In Scranton
the annual rate of deaths from cons,np-
tion is increasing. 1t causes one third of
all the deaths from disease between the
ages OF 10 and G5
Not Inherited.
Consumption is practically never in
heritcd. and is not contracted simply by
taking cold. 1t is caused by Il special
germ. which is present in the eXpector;l-
/ tion Of consumptive patients. This expec-
toration If deposited in a public place or
in dwelling house. dries, the germs
float in the dust, are inhaled by other
people. and cause the disease in them.
Thus it is that the disease is carried
from one person to another. Each CO. e
contracts tuberculosis from previous
case. From this it follows that the dis
ease is distinctly preventable, and that,
If each patient carefully destroys his en-
pectoration. the disease cannot spread.
The expectoration should always be de-
posted in a special cup containing a
sermicidal fluid. or on rags. or in paper
cups to he bought at drug store. These
cups can he Immediately burned. The
public should understand that patient
who cares for his eXpectoration in this
way is not danger to the community.
On the other hand if he is neslectful and
deposits his eXpectoratiOn on clothes.
floors or walls. he is sure to infect some
Of his family. his fellow workers. or any
one in the community who may breathe
the dried eSpectoratiOn.
The greatest danger is in houses or
shops where consumptives live or are en-
nloyed. For this reason. the sanitary
hygienic arrangements OF such places
should he carefully supervised by the
bureau Of health. After the death or re-
moval OF a conSlmptive patient from a
house. the house should always be disin-
fecteG and renovated. otherwise the
next tenants are very liable 10 contract
the disease.
To make scrupllous care of the eXpec-
toration as general as possible and to
enable people to avoid infection where
this care has not been taken. 1t is very
necessary that the public should know
how the disease is contracted and how it
is spread. For this reason, the society
urges careful consideration of this me-
mortal. Further. 1t is ready to provide
lecturers to clubs and societies. on APP
plcation to the secretary. These leo
turerS will carefully explain the various
details connected with the matter Th,
knowledge that the various members of
club hearing such n lecture would OBJ
tain, will undoubtedly prevent needless
deaths from this preventable disease
A Durable Disease.
Another very important item in the
prevention of tuberculosis is the provis-
ion Of sanatoria for consllmptives. Con-
trary to the prevalent opinion, tubercu-
loSis is n very curahe disease Sana
toria, properly situated and managed, can
cure over 70 per cent of early cases. and
in some eases the cure requires only
from three TO four months For each
1900 spent year in Sanotoria. at least
two and perhaps four lives can be saved,
and at least four and probably more
cases prevented.
The health of a city is always one Of
its hes, assets. The society urges most
STRONGLY that a sanatorium for consump-
tives be established. either at the Hill |
side Home or elsewhere nearby IF we
had such an institution available for the |
treatment near home OF our own cases
it Is unuuestionahle that at least ten
cases q Wear could be cured and returned |
:" i've 10. n.,aei,n t.I'',1 u .,sr'i,s ~,
ness which brings n heavy financial bnr- |
den on their friends or the moor directors
Aside from the great saving of life ana |