The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-25


victims in the prime of life, together
with untold treasure. The cost and
slaughter of war are insignificant in
comparison. +4
But let us come nearer home and
view what havoc this disease is play
ing in our acknowledgements Ken
lucky and West Virginia lead the van
with the frightful mortality of nearly
fifteen per cent, while North Carolina
with her sister States South Carolina
and Virginian registered second tier
of States with a mortality of nearly
twelve and one-half per cent. The
percentage of deaths from consump-
ton is greater in North Carolina than
in the great States of Massachusetts,
New York and Illinois, the average
percentage for these States being ten
and one-half, while North Carolina is
twelve and one-half per cent The
most striking fact brought out by
statistics is that a group OF $40 OF the
largest cities i'm the Union, with pop
ulation of twenty-nine millions With
yearly death rate of 5000 from con-
sumption, giving a mortality of ten
and one-half, RANK second in COM
parison with North Carolina, which is
first, with less than two million souls,
with a mortality of twelve and half
per cent from consumption, when
sends into eternity yearly over 2,30O
men and women. If we extend the
comparison the figure shows the
twelve largest cities with a population
of 5000, 900, representing nine differ
ent States from Massachusetts to Cali
fornia whose population amounts to
AS per cent of the whole, have less
death rate than North Carolina, which
has only five per cent of urban popu-
lation, in the former, there is NOR
tally of ten and three-quarters per
cent, while in the latter it amounts
to twelve and one-half per cent. This
high death rate in our State shows Ger
tainly that consumption is more pres
vaIent in the rural districts than one
would suppose, from casual obserVa-
ton If, as has been shown, consump-
ton is the cause of twelve and one
half per cent of all deaths, 1900 oc-
curing yearly, in this State there is
only five per cent urban population,
there is no question but that there
is frightful mortality from the dis
ease, in the rural districts and small
towns composing 95 per cent.
at may be argued that the two
prime factors which enter into the
question of increased death rate from
tuberculosis the large number of in
valids who come into the State seek
ing health and the great mortality
the mortality list. The granting of
this argument does not eliminate the
fact of disseminated tuberculosis with
centers of infection. in every part of
the country.
Koch demonstrated that it was an
infectious communicable disease
caused by a germ. Therefore, it fol-
lowed as a necessary conclusion from
his demonstration that it was abso-
lutely a preventable disease. There
fore, in view of what has been said.
what are the practical deductions to
be made from all these facts in our
combat against tuberculosis?
"In the first place statistics reveal
the prevalency and mortality of the
disease which serve to show the size
situation and strength of the enemy.
''In the second place, a knowledge
of the nature and life history of the
tubercle bacillus the cause of the dis
ease reveals the strategic points OF
attack.
This warfare, then, must be waged
on two lines of action--prevention and
cure.
THE first, then, prevention, is the
| key to the whole situation, and in
| cludes a crusade of education. The
natural history of the germ teaches
that it does not multiply. outside the
body, that it may be killed by the
simplest methods; direct exposure to
sunshine and light being the surest;
on the other hand it may retain its
virulence for two years or more in
dark, damp apartment; that IN the
| pulmonary form which is by far the
most frequent, the germ must find
! lodgment and growth in the tissues of
| the lungs must be expectorated, dried,
I 100 Il H.. Il sxyr.E
| before it becomes dangerous to others.
1.-The weapons. therefore, indicated,
are indeed simple, the control OF the