The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-20
Tells His Practical Experience
 with Disease
URGES STATE COMMISSION
Early Knowledge of Presence of Tuber- culosis Germs and Open Air and Diet Treatment Are All
 Important Factors.

ltdullS feature Ol lllS meeting or the State Medical association today was the Jerome Cochran lecture delivered by pr. Robert Abbe of New York on 'The Prob ler of Surgery" pr. Abbe had a num- Der of charts and made an illustration of his subject in such way that even the laymen present understood him.
 The afternoer- session was devoted largely to an open discussion of the ques- tion of tuberculosis with papers from two doctors and one layman. Dr. Charles l.. Minor of Asheville, N. C., discussed the Purposes and Plans of the National As- soclation for the Study and Prevention of Tnbereulosis.n He was followed by Eli P. Smith of Birmingham on "A Laymans Views on the Practical Side of Tubercu- loss.' Dr. Edgar A. Jones of Raton, N. NJ. spoke of Some Essentials to the Successful Treatment of Tuberculosis"
 It is the purpose of MT. Smith to ad- vocate the appointment of a tuberculosis commission in Alabama, like those in other states including Georgia, for the study of the disease and the adoption and promulgation of means for its suppression He hopes to show that it can be prevent ed, and that having been contracted can be cured he being a living example of the assertion.
 Speaks From Experience.
 Mr. Smith spoke entirely from practical experience. saying that he had contracted tuberculosis about three and half years ago and was by spending about a year in Colorado and pursuing the open air treat ment had been enabled to abate the dis ease.
 Speaking of growing public interest in this question he said that tho census reports showed that during the census year 1900 there were 110F9 deaths in the United States from consumption. or 6SS pe- cent 100000 deaths from all causes In other words. one out of every ten per sons who die from disease in this country is victim of tuberculosis. No other dis ease in the entire category claims Sd large proportion of the human family. "It is this fearful record" continued the speaker, which makes the consideratio of tuberculosis of intense personal con- cern to so large percentage of our population"
 Mr SmitL then reviewed in detail a history of his own case, telling the cir cumstances under which he contracted the disease and how by strenuously pur- suing the open air, food and rest cure treatment in the congenial climate of Col orado he had been enabled to abate the malady: not only abating 1t but had emerged from the battle weighing thirty pounds more than his normal weight be- fore his first attack. Alr Early Knowledge Is Important
 He urged the importance of early know ledge of the presence of the infection. saying that the keynote to the cure lay In this fact, followed by prompt and wig orous measures to assist nature in throw ing off the disease He urged rest of body and mind, large quantities of wholesome food and a plentiful supply of fresh air as the elements required to cure a con- sumptive. a combination of remedies which will prove efficacious if the be- ginning is made in time.
 MT. Smith closed with a plea for bet ter education of the masses of the people on this subject. urging the creation of an anti-tuberculosis commission in Ala bama as a step in that direction. He said:
 The Georgia Commission.
 Tn many states laws have been enact- ed creating anti-tuberculosis commis- sions. This is the case in our neighborng state of Georgia. I have recently been in communication with Dr. Bernard Wolff of Atlanta secretary of the Geor- gia state commission on tuberculosis, and he has described to me the workings of the commission in his state. The func- tions of the Georgia commission are to gather data with reference to tubercu- losls and to disseminate information in brief and simple form for the education of the public on precautionary methods to prevent the spread of the disease and to deal with 1t where 1t has occurred. A short time ago Dr. Wolff in a letter to me said: We are preparing to send out literature on the subject of consumption very much in the vein alluded to in your letter. We are availing ourselves of every method of disseminating this infor- nation to the public, especially through the channel represented by the newspa- pers We hope in this way to arouse pub lie sentiment in favor of the movement and we have the narrowing conviction that once the movement Is under way It will accumulate enough momentum to propel itself l am preparing a series of tracts to be published In the newspapers. They are practical, elementary and such as any intelligent layman may readily
 understand If the conviction can Je forced into a dense and childish public that consumption can be caught and be- ing caught 1t can often be cured, we may get rid of the old hereditary notion and the policies that have been the means of spreading the disease since the primal curse
 {" We are very uuch hampered by the lack of funds. The state. with that easy | indifference to it's best interests, and that | cool assumption that work for it will be done free. has made no appropriation 1 at all to carry the work. It Is main | tained by assessment Among the mem- I bers of the commission whose efforts in | the cause of cold drawn philanthropy l spell professional suicide by the starva- tion route. With such handicap, ths | best we can do is to start the movement to touch the button with the hope that | if that great baby. the public, will get good scare. it will stop putting every thing into it's mouth
 MT. Wolfs views are, in my 1udg- ment highly valuable and furnish a basis l for us Alabamfans to operate npon If
 we are to have an anti-tuberculosis corn- mission in this state-and we should have
 such a body by all means-I would sug- | gest and urge, that in addition to grant l ing it power to collect data on the sub- l ject of tuberculosis through the medium | of county and city health officers and 1 county medical societies and issuing from | time to time educational leaflets on the
 manner of warding off and treating the disease. that it also be empowered to suggest to municipal governments the | enactment and enforcement of certain 1 necessary laws providing sanitary ana | hygienic safeguards, such as anti-spitting ordinances. proper ventilation or pupnc buildings particularly the public scnools' and like means for the preventions or the propagation of the tuberculosis germ Should Have Appropriation. This commission should be supplied with a reasonable appropriation Tor the Jnfa