The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-12-01

dlSpO5lng TO or against tuOerculur
infection, dwellers in cities are
much more prone to the disease
than residents of the country.
Not only is the liability to in
lection very much greater IN
cities. but the conditions of life
are such that the powers of resist
ance are apt to he weakened
Bright light and sunshine is one
of the most powerful agents III
destroying the tubercle bacillus,
80 that in lmperfectly ventilated
and lighted residences, halls,
workshops, etc, the Liability TO
Infection is very much increased.
The influence Of environment was
we'll demonstrated by DR.. Trudeau
in experiments on rabbits He
found that rabbits, inoculated
with tuberculosis, if confined in II
dark, badly ventilated place,
without sunlight and fresh air,
rapidly succumbed, while others,
treated in the same way, but al
lowed to run in the open sun
shine, either recovered or showed
very slight LESSONS,
The foregoing statements from
our best authorities on this sub
ject urge upon us the great i'm.
portance of keeping up our vital
forces, of building up our resist
ing power to disease, and this
duty begins while the infant is
still in it's mothers arms, aud
continues through all stages of
life. We wish to insist on the
Importance Of taking great care
of the health of young children,
it is at this time of life that the
tendency to contract disease is
greatest, from infancy to adde's.
cence should great care be taken
to build up the child's bodily
vigor in every way, it is at this
time of life that tuberculosis, as
we'll as many other diseases, may
make it's first attack, the import
ance OF looking we'll after their
proper physical development,
cannot be over estimated.
PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS.
Aside from the Importance of
environment as mentioned above.
the next thought and one which
is of verv great Importance, is
measures looking to the preven-
ton of the possibility of germ in
lection as far as is practicable.
Persons known to be suffering
with tuberculosis should be edu-
Gated and urged to use the utmost
precautions in regard to splitting
as it is in the expectoration that
the infective media, the germ of
tuberculosis is liberated and be-
comes a menace to the life and
health of others.
In New York City the board of
health requires that all consump-
tives coming under it's supervision
be provided with cuspidors con-
tanning a 5 per cent solution Of
pure carbolic acid, pint of this
solution is put into the clean
cuspidor; once day, this is
emptied into the closet and the
cuspidor thoroughly scalded I;
possible plan equally as good or
better would be to line the cuspi-
dor with paper in such way as
to be easily removed, and this
burned once or twice n day.
Hotels, boarding houses and
families in which cases of tuber-
culosis are known to exist should
adopt this or some equally safe
plan for the disposal of tuber.
culous sputum.
Education of the public, and rig
id enforcement of municipal or
dinance, should absolutely put O
stop to splitting on sidewalks and
on the floors and walls of build.
ings. 1t is inside of rooms, halls,
houses, darkened corners, Oh
mouldlngs that have not a smooth
surface, thus becoming dust
traps, that the germs of disease
may accumulateS and being out
of the reach of bright light anG
sunshine will retain their viru.
lence for weeks and months
Ladies' walking dresses should
always be made to swing clear OF
the floors and sidewalks, other
wise they will be made the limo
cent carriers of any disease germ
that may be in their path into the
home, where it is dried and be,
comes menace TO the entire
household.
DR.. Wayne Babcock, of Phila
delphia, in an excellent article OF
preventive medicine recited tn,
fact that tubercle bacilli have beef
found in the dregs of the com
munion cup and suggests tina
glasses and cups provided a
drinking fountains and drinking