The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-03-19

ferted, and where Is the hope or ever
curing the diseaseT" About 50 parent
ef the people are infected some time
during life. as is shown in the post
mortAm roonl but their powers Of re-
sistaaee being greater that the asgrs-
slve powers OF the germs, the disease
becomes arrested. Nearly all OF us
breathe in bacilli daily: but most Of
them come to us either killed or injur-
ed. They are usually thrown out into
a temperature below or above that
which is necessary to their well-being.
They are also as a rule exposed to
light ard often 20 the direct rays OF
the sun. So, il the germs that We are
constantly breathing In with the air,
only a comparatively small number
are virulent and able TO reproduce
the disease. With proper care the
chief sources Of infection could be de-
stroyed. Although it is doubted by
some Investigators whether the tuber-
culosis Of cattle can be communicated
to man, vet until this is proved we
should take stringent measures to weed
out and destroy tuberculosis cattle, so
that their milk and flesh would not
be used as articles of food.
The sputum from all tubercular pa
tients should be carefully collected in
proper reeeptacles and burned or de-
stroyed by some powerful germicide,
The rooms and dwelling occupied by a
tuhercular patient should be thorough
" lisinfeeted after the removal Of The
patient and before they are again Oc-
cupied. If these precautions We're taken.
the danger from tuberculosis would be
reduced to minimum and the per-
cantage of cases would rapidly de-
crease.
I 1t must be remembered that while
there can be no tuberculosis without
the tubercle bacillus, this is not the
only cause.
There are predisposing cases which
play a very important role.
A man in perfect health need have
very little fear of the disease; but it
Is when he is debilitated that he is
prone TO infection.
One of the first essentials is to Inn
prove the dwellings and elevate the
plane Of living Of the poor The over
crowded tenements are the chief sourc-
es of infection. In the Fourth and
Sixth wards of New York during the
years 1S9l-5 and s, SO percent of the
dwellings had cases of tuberculosis re-
ported from them; and from Il houses
in this densaly populated district 1856
cases were reported in eight years Lre-
vious to 1897. Since only about one
half of the cases are reported, it is
probable that about twice that many
or about 2T5 cases, occurred In II
houses in eight years. That means
that those houses are permanently in
rected and that it is dangerous for any
one to live in them.
To show the danger Of neglecting dis
infection and the value Of 1t when
properly done, wish 10 relate to YOU
the aitsory of a tubercular patient, and
what followd his death. The items are
taken from an article in the Alkaloidal
Clinic for December, 1901, by DR.. Mil
liken of Silver City, N. NJ.
In 1880 farmer IF good family his-
tory was seized With la grippe, who,
owing to relapse. vas very slow in
making a recovery. He spent much
of his time during conyalescence with
a friend who was i'll Of tuberculosis
He himself became tubercular and died
of the disease.
His son. a strong, hearty fellow,