Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-05-20
THE FIGHT ON CONSUMPTION

The white plague is the enemy
against which the forces of powerful
society are to be turned. The organi.
cation will hold its first annual meet
ing in Washington, D. c., May IS and
~ and it includes some of the ablest
physicians in the country. The pres.
ldent is DR.. Edward l.. Trudeau of Sar-
anac Lake, N. Y, a man who has given
much time to the study of consumption
and is, in fact, an authority on the di.
sease and the methods of treating
patients afflicted with it. DR.. William
Osler, whose name has been before
the public very prominently because
of his odd "chloroform theory" is one
of the vice presidents. Here 1t NAV
be said, in passing, that DR.. Osler is
in truth enc of the ablest men to be
found in the ranks of the physicians of
the country. He is also student of
consumption and other similar dis
eases and his membership in the soci-
ETY. which aims at decreasing the num-
Der OF victims of this white plague"
adds strength to that organization.
Among the directors are DR.. Arnold
G. Klebs of Chicago, DIR. S. A. Knopf
of New York, Dr. Leonard Pearson of
Philadelphia, DR.. S. e. Solly of Colo
RADIO Springs and Gen. Walter Wyman
of Washington. In addition to the doc
tors who will be present at the meet
ing in Washington there will be sew.
eral laymen who will take an inter-
ested and useful part in the pro-
ceedings.
The Importance of the society can
not be overestimated The white
plague" has reached Such point that
1t cannot be defeated without organiza-
ton. During the last few years, for In.
stance, It has been gaining enormously
and in order to fight 1t it is necessary
that all, doctors and laymen alike, re-
| alize the danger and unite to do all in
their power to ward it off. Among the
subjects that will be discussed at the
Washington meeting there may be no
tlced the progress of the sanatorium
movement in America; infection in
transportation; e channels of infection
in tuberculosis; serum, the blood in
tuberculosis, the relation of tuberculo.
sis. to life insurance, open air treat.
ment, climatic conditions, etc. Infec.
ton of transportation will be discussed
not only from the point of view of the
ply oiSioh, tOuC IiOLu liidI. VI lIduSpOT-
tation companies.
1t is anticipated that great good will
come from this meeting. 1t is the first
of its kind ever held, and the bringing
together of so many distinguished
men who have made special study
of this dread disease will bring out
much that will be Of great value ,tosthe
medical professional and it may result
in giving Legislators information OF
| the highest value in framing laws deal
ing with the subject.
Much has been lately said in the
public press about the danger of infec
| ton in cars used for the TRANSPORTS
ton of passengers, and there has been
a decided movement toward requiring
better ventilation and sanitation in all
such cars. This will be one of the
most important questions discussed
| tuberculosis has practically spread
over all the country, and it's rapid
spread has been laid to the infection
| in transportation.
For generations it has Leen believed
that no cure existed for the disease
but many eminent men now hold that
| it can be cured, The first great OBJ
ject, however, is prevention, and the
means by which this much desired end
may be reached is now engaging the
attention of very many of the physi
clans Of the country.
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