New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-26
DARLINGTON ON PHTHISI>.
Health Commissioner Tells Hon.
to Fight Dread Disease.

Hartford, Conn, Sept 25.-Health Commits
sioner Thomas Darlington. Of New-York, ad-
dressed the workngmen Of this city in Parsons
Opera House tonight. His topic "Tuber-
cuIosis" He began by saying that three hun
dred and fifty people die in the United States
each day from the dread disease and that proper
precautions would have saved every one Of them
along with most OF the others who nave dled
in past years. He announced that he would
treat the subject from the economic viewpoint
The address in part follows:
speak of tuberculosis in the light of political
economy because of the Importance OF the life OF
the wageearner to the state We call a country
hands Of ts people and when We Consider from
tEis one cause alone the loss in wages while H.
the expense Of caring for the sick with the extra
Clinics etc and the cost OF the burial Of the dead
the figures are Appalling Between the ages OF
fifteen and forty-fve-the age when most money Is
80 per cent of the deaths due to this dread
die between the ages of twenty-five and thrty.tive
a large proportion die between the ages of fifteen
d States aone lGss anRua Wills
S60e00eO marks is given the yearly cost Of tuber-
three marks per head. or fifteen marks LOT each
iT aa 0I hre N Inc FsSn s dnbb.ra and
Group with whooping cough, measles scarlet feVer
causes are much less than from tuberculosis; thus,
in Germany in 1894. the deaths from these other
tuberculosis were 1200o. In New-York in the. year
1874 The total deaths from tyRno co Ieyer
ana Group were z65 while the total deaths rom 9
cases, nearly double.
tuberculosis is a communicable disease, caused
Of the 6ody usually in lungs. and this germ is
called the tubercle bacillus. 1t is a minute Vege-
powerful microscope 1t Is shaped like a slender
rod. and It would take 5000 OF them In line 10
plies in the body. 1t will not. however. multiply
outside Of the body nor is II produced bY SEEDS
though it is killed by exposure to sunlight in
few hours, IT will live in dark and damp places
for many months Cold does not destroy It. out
Fahrenheit 1t enters the body by three means
into the s lInach, or else by iqocglation through
wound Having obtained foothold and commenced
variety Of symptoms; fever pains and night sweats
and II in the lungs, cough. expectoraton and loss
OF nesh and possibly hsm0rrhsgss s-o food and
drink. Rarely. OF course Is tuberculosis acquired
by means Of ruberculous meat for the germs are
seldom found In the muscle, and. even II Lney
were cooking of the meat kills the germs and SO
lessons the danger. Nevertheless, milk as q RUE.
not cooked and II is heaIthler diet Whea II Is
unlocked. ard, taken in the raw state when 1t
comes from the udder Of tuberculous COW, may
give tuberculosis TO Inc one VINO taxes IL FossLDy
the germs of consumption getting on the outside
Of fruits and foods which are exposed to the dust
6andIing of food by consumptives who have not
washed their hands, or the kissing of consumptives
TffensIs NAV possibly spread the disease, but the
great source OF the disease to-day is through the
Inhalation Of the sputum OF other patients
II can be said with precision that excessive use
of alcohol triples the liability TO consumption Pos
difference In susceptibility though not entirely So
The race that has the highest mortality from con-
irish while among the lowest found the Ital-
Ians The high rate among the negroes in the
ditions With most all cases poverty plays an i'm
portant part. Anusements are also factor Thus.
nthar outdoor recreation the history OF the ma
ioritv of consunpttve cases is that they have re-
sorted to the saloons, the dance halls or the the