Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-30
STAYS IT'S THOUSANDS
OF CONSUMPTION DIS
CUssED AT PUBLIC MEETING.
Statistics Showing That 7eo District
People Die Of the Disease
Every Year.

That consumption kills 100 people every
year in the District of Columbia. and that
this disease can be absolutely eradicated by
simple means. was the keynote of dis
oussion at q public meeting held Thursday
evening at o'clock in the Vermont Avenue
Baptist Church. between @ and streets
northwest. The meeting was the first pub
lie one organized this season by the Asso-
ciated Charities committee on the preven-
ton Of consumption" DR.. d. Percy Hick-
ling, chairman Of the subcommittee on lee
lures. served as the presiding officer. Eigh-
teen hundred people were present. including
number OF persons afflicted with con-
sumption. This great audience paid close,
earnest attention to the practical. detailed
advice given by the speakers.
The first speaker was DR.. F. j. Shadd
who spoke regarding 1.-THE Prevalence and
Ravages Of Consumption" He painted a
dark picture of the effects Of tuberculosis In
this city. During the last ten years. he
said. nearly 5000 people had died here of
consumption. The disease Is especially
costly to the city through the fact that 1t
is most prevalent among people in their
prime or between the ages Of fifteen and
sixty. The speaker stated that one in every
seven of all the deaths which occur
throughout the world Is due to consump-
ton, and that one in every three OF all
deaths occurring between the ages Of If
teen and sixty is caused by tuberculosis.
While all classes of citizens are included
among the victims of this disease, 1t is es-
ssting power has been weakened by pow.
erty. or Overwork, poor nourishment, bad
housing conditions intemperance and
other facilitating habits.
Prevention and Cure.
DR.. Robert Reyburn, the second speaker
Of the evening, discussed "The Proven
ton and Cure of tuberculosis" He
stated that 1t is now thoroughly well
known to scientific men that consump-
ton is a communicable, preventable and
durable disease. By far the chief means
by which the disease Is spread Is through
bacillf, which are coughed up by con-
sumpt1ves In their sputum. If this spu-
tum is allowed to dry so that the bacilli
are freed from the sticky mass and al
lowed to float about in the air they may
enter the lungs of any person and cause
consumption unless the persons resist
Ing power is so great as to destroy the
unfriendly germs. If every one who now
has consumption could be induced to de-
stroy all his spittings, either by burning
them or by throwing them into running
sewer, or by using an adequate disin-
fectant, then consumption could not be
spread to any new patients and the dis
ease would disappear with the recovery
or death OF those who are now consump-
tive.
For the cure of the disease the chief
means are fresh air, good food, freedom
from overwork or from debilitating sur
roundlngs. good wholesome habits of
life, and all that promotes general physf-
cal good health. While some climates are
somewhat better than others for the cure
or tuberculosis. these means of treat
ment are successful in any climate, and
very large proportion of all people af-
fected with tuberculosis recover entirely.
1t is most important, however to begin
the treatment OF the disease in its early
ma rry1,o
he may be liable to consumption should
nave his sputum examined promptly and
take means Of graduating the disease
oe1ore 1t reaches the later stages, in
when II is often incurable.
stereopticon Illustrations.
Seventy stereopticon views recently pre-
pared under the auspices Of the subcom
mlttee on lectures were shown by the last
speaker Of the evening. Mr. Charles F.
weller, general secretary Of the Associ-
ated Charities Mr.. Weller exhibited pic
lures showing some Of the causes of con-
sumption in Washington and other citfes
He reviewed the remarks of the preceding
speakers, throwing upon the screen print
ed statements epitomizing the modern con-
cluslons OF scientific men as to the nature
OF consumption, the means Of it's preven-
ton and the methods by which it can be
cured. The establishment in various Eu-
ropean and American cities of committees
organized to make aggressive warfare
upon this modern white plague" was also
reviewed. Pictures of patients under treat
ment in various sanitariums of New York
state and elsewhere were shown, empha-
| sizing the value Of fresh air, sunshine and
outdoor life in combating consumption. At
some OF the sanitariums, the speaker stat
ed, the beds Of patients are on the ample
porches surrounding the institution At
others the patients live in tents through
out the year.
The tone and spirit Of the entire meeting
was optimistic The prophecy of DIR.
Vaughan, dean of the medical department
at the University Of Michigan, was repeat
ed by Mr. Weller, to the effect that within
100 years or less consumption will be as
rare and as little known as the black
plague or leprosy, which slew their thou
sands in earlier years, ana have been Grad
icated by preventive means similar to
those which now need to be used for the
worldwide eradication Of consumption.
How to Go Nuttiue