The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-01
BY j. MOUNT BLEYER.

The problem of reaching the 1900 poor
sufferers from consumption has at last
aroused the public and there is practical
way Of reaching these people by the proper
remedial agents.
We can learn nothing more from the
laboratory for the cure OF tuberculosis. We
do not need serum for the bacillus, but
what we do need Is to reach the patients at
the proper stage and prevent the ravagss of
the bacillus. The bacillus is not the really
important thing in consumption: it is only
secondary, an indication Of Il condition, and
IL We can overcome this condition We have
cured consumption.
What need 10 do to-day il to reach out
for the poor people, in the first or second
stages of consumption and stop the disease
Immediately. This can be done and must be
DONE not in hospitals. which are costly and
Will require millions of money ard years or
time to erect, bat by methods which are
practical and immediate.
There are two sides to the problem-the
treatment of the poor during the winter ard
the summer. The city OF New York has at
its disposal a plant which. made ready at
afford relief to the suffering poor within Il
few weeks at most. Let Health Coinnls-
sioner Lederle take possession of the recre-
alton piers and with a small appropriation
cover them with glass and heat them with
steam. Then let him erect large Brush are
lights. for use on days when the sun IL hid
diately accessible camps for poor consump-
tiyes.
PIERS FAvoRABLY LOCATED.
These recreation piers are located in just
the T1glt SECTIONS the y. anu II II were
known that consumptiSes were invited there
every day and would receive proper atten-
ton on the part of nurses employed by the
city and visiting physicians. together with
the necessary food, We should nave taken
great steps toward the solution of this
pressing problem.
tents would upon these piers receive the
proper instruction and training as to caring
Should sSc eat It is anu eH secret IN the med
ical profession that the cure for consump-
ton consists Of three elements-fresh air.
sunshine and food. Upon these piers, prop
erly ventilated and heated. they would get
the fresh air. and when the sun shines they
would have the benent of its beaming rays.
On cloudy days the arc lights when turned
on would furnish the system of the patients
with those chemical rays SO valuable TO the
would supply the patients with the proper
food. at least during the few hours that
they were in their charge.
Light heat and chemical power come to
US in the sIir1beams. Here / am concerned
with the action of the chemical rays which
are now called actinic rays. 1t is by these
rays that photographs are made. and they
chiefly influence the growth OF plants and
animals The popular idea that the heat
of the sun is the principal cause of growth
is contradcted by scientific INVESTIGATION.
which finds the actual cause in the We k
OF the chemical rays of light Long expert
ment has shown that the violet rays OF the
sun are its chief chemical rays-thc most
important for vegetable and animal econ
Now. inasmuch as these rays are so I'M
pnrtant to the human boly. it is necessary
to let them reach the BODY "a thoroughly
tive patient should be clad IN Waite gar
merits. so that every possible ray may pass
to the body as directly as may be.
ABSORBING ACTINIC RAYS.
Seeds do not terminate If deprived of the
action of the chemical rays. and human
cells are governed by the same low of ger
from heat. is the principle on which the Sc
cretion of carbon and the evolution of OK
ygen by plants depend. There is positive
evidence of chemical change in matter under
the influence OF the SUMS rays, and the cleo
trio arc light rays. which are OF similar ma
ture may accomplish the same result We
have any amount of scientific evidence that
not sunbeam or electric arc light beam
can fall upon body without leaving .perma-
nent traces of its action.
One of the most remarkable functions of /,
the action of the rays of light Is the rise |
and the alteration OF chemical stbstsnces.
which light eNerts upon the salts of iron |
without ard within the human body. NY !
experience has shown absolutely that the /
action of the suns RAYS or arc-light rays so !
alters salts of iron that they are readily ,
absorbed by the blood, and this Is one Of the !
most valuable agents in the building up % .
the system of the consumptive patient.
We have long tried to find a solution of /
iron which aspatient could absorb, but in 'it1 |
weakened condition the constitution refuses
to take up the iron until 1t Is acted upon h. I
light which breaks it up and makes IL sol
uble In a very large plumber Of cases of ].
tuhercuous patients / have, administered
different salts Of iron Dor organic prepSra-
tons of this mineral, and then placed the
patient daily before the suns rays or
electric arc light rays. L have found that
he iron salts were taken up with great ran
d!ty. showing marvellous, CONSTITUTIONAL ef- t,
fccts
After the first week the blood counts
proved how rich the blood had become Gil
at once In tho valuable red. corpuscles., Tpa
Importance then. of the rays Of ligT. stris-
ug not only the exposed surface OF face AMI
hands but the covered portions of tbs. body.
g not to be overlooked 1t is well known
hat white or light colored clothes transmit
light while black or dark coIore1 clothes
lbsorb the light and merely change it into
he coarser principle of heat. No T.atter
Tow closely woven are the white garments
he rays of light pass through the inter-
tices. while the black clothing though
oosely woven, catches all the light rays and
prevents their passage.
As q consequence a tuberculOus patient