The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-20
PHYSICIANS START FIGHT
AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS
DR.. Evans, in Address Before State
Association, Says the Disease Is
Preventable and Durable.
FOR STATE SANATORIUM

Bringing to close day which marks
milestone in the progress Of medical science
of Indiana. the reflex of which may mean
the saving of thousands of lives from the
grip of the most dreaded disease of Amer
ica-tubereulosis. DIR. w. a. Evans, OF Chi
cago, in a paper last night before the In
diana State Medical Association, sounded
the general alarm of the movement which
has been begun. not only by medical men,
but on a smaller scale by state officials.
The medical profession of Indianapolis
was well represented at the meeting. The
auditorium of the German House. where
the convention of the State Medical Asso-
citation is being held, was crowded. Among
the large audience were many women who
accompanied their husbands TO the recep-
ton following the evening session. which
began at 7:S0 o'clock with the annual adj
dress of the president. Dr.. Jonas Stewart.
of Anderson
Dr. Evans's lecture was both interesting
and profitable TO those who did not possess
a medical education, for he avoided all
technic and dealt with plain facts
tuberculosis he said. lis mildly-con-
tagious, acknowledgements bacterial disease
and is both preventable and durable BY
reason of its wide distribution, the length
of illness entailed, the degree of helpless
ness of its subjects. its reciprocal relations
with other questions of hygiene and COM
munity interest and the possibility OF rem
edy, it is the greatest economic problem OF
the age"
He then quoted figures showing the death
rate from tuberculosis. In the United
n "a Of ha from
tuberculosis The cost of the disease, Dr.
Evans showed, is immense, amounting eacn
year to over $500, 100000.
DR. Evans declared that the most danger
Gus haven of the disease is in the nome
and houses where families 1--we tosetne,
for it is slowly contagious. he Saiu ..o .
il was not hereditary, but was the result
of association the dangerous places pelng
the home. workshops and conveyances-
HOME TREATMENT ADVOCATED.
In the treatment of the disease DR.. Evans
advocated a treatment at home he salo
that he believed that if the disease is con-
tracted in Indiana it should be cured there
and, on the other hand, that If ii is con-
tracted in Indiana and cured in Colorado
the patient must live there the remainder
of his life He did not believe strongly in
going West for the cure unless the patient
could support himself with ease and sever
himself from his home with no pangs Oh
inconsistencies or worry
AS treatment DIR. Evans advocated sanl-
tariums built and maintained by the state
or the city. He said that the treatment
given in such public sanitaria is In the ma
jority of cases successful. He told or the
work done in Chicago in the establishment
of hospitals in working districts where
patients can live and attend to their daily
work without coming into permanent asso-
citation with others.
The time is at hand. DIR. Evans believes.
to begin the crusade against the disease,
the propaganda of which is to awaken pub
lie intelligence through magazines, papers.
pamphlets and lectures. THE underlying
idea of this feature" he said. lis that
tuberculosis is a preventable disease Be
written and unwritten law must stand pub
lie intelligence, and behind this public con-
science. The people must be told and re-
told
STATE ASSOCIATION SESSIONS.
The meeting of the State Medical Associa-
ton convened yesterday morning and will
conclude this evening. There about
three hundred physicians from different
parts of the State attending the convention.
Of the membership of 1900 in the State 2Ss
live in Indianapolis. The meeting was called
| to order yesterday morning by President
| Stewart and after a short address Of well
come the renorts of the committees on tu-
4
| by Theodore Potter, chairman or the COM
mittee and concluded with the following
| recommendation:
THAT the State of Indiana should prompt
| " proceed to the establishment of a public
| sanatorium for the treatment of tuberculo-
| sis, and that
''These resolutions, and especially the
seventh one, be and they are hereby or
| dered TO be presented by the committee or
| legislation to the next State Legislature
with request for definite action upon the
| same"
| Several papers were read on tubercu.
| losis and discussed by the doctors. Yes.
| terday afternoon papers were read by G
| p. Runyan, OF Elwood; j. b. Fattic, OF An
| derson; ]. f. King. of Richmond II. r
| Allen, of Indianapolis; ID. G. Peyton, OF
| Jeffersonville: Nj. F. Porter. of For
| Wayne; j. r. Eastman, of Indianapo polls
| G. w H. Kemper. of Muncie; T.. c. Reyer
| of Indianapolis; S. G. Morris. of Anderson
| E. j. McOscar, of Fort Wayne: II. w
| Stevenson of Richmond; George Knapp, OF
| Vincennes, and Nelson ID. Brayton, of In
| dianapolis.
| Yesterday afternoon a delegation of the
| doctors took trolley ride about the city
| Later in the afternoon the wives anC
| daughters of the doctors were entertained
| at the Norways by DR.. A. E. Sterne.
| Dr. Hannah Graham gave reception fol
women physicians in attendance at the
| convention yesterday afternoon at he
| apartments, 50 Blacherne. She was assisted
| in receiving by Mrs. Winfield I. Durbin
Mrs John w. Holtzman. Mrs. Henrietta
| Stevens, Miss Anna Reaume. Mrs. DR.
| Pnaflin, Mrs. J. Cumming Smith and Mrs
| Wong Kai Kah.