Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-29
Sanitariums
Not Dangerous

Every now and then one hears
that the residents OF a town In
which Il Is proposed to establish a
sanitarium for tuberculosis feel nerv.
oGs about the nearness Of such nm In.
stltution To their homes. Misgivings
Of this kind are not strange. in view
OF tho well known contagious charac.
ter Of the disease, Yet there Is a dif.
ference between wise caution and
needless caution. Medical experts
the men who are best qualified to ex,
press and opinion-place opposition
to u s~anllarium In the latter class. In
the last monthly bulletin Of the New
York States Board OF Health this mat
ter was discussed at some length.
1t was pointed out. IN the first
place, that the conditions In which q.
erson having pulmonary consumption
communicates the disease are we'll
established, The infectious material
is contained In that which L. elected
from the respiratory tract. II 10 only
necessary to control It BY suitable reg.
ulations. Means are employed TO ats.
infect all material which is cougheh
up, 50 that any germs contained In It
will be dead long before they can get
or.e'de the building. Nowhere Is
this 30 scrupuiously done as In :
sanitarlum. The few simple require.
ments are absolutely exacted; Il they
we're not the, insfitutton would defeat
its v ends and the inmates would
be the first to rhRer BY reinfecang
each other and injecting their attend.
ants, so they have . mutual interest
In observing the rules. ana no care.
less inmate woald be allowed to re-
main. s,ssi. ss4 st .NBl.,.
II we'll known precautions are TAX
en- the patient. who very likely has
heretofore. been a source Of danger to
all about him from ignorance or indif-
ference. becomes Immediately on ad-
mission subject to the rules Of the
%institutin. which he will at once be
put under. and which there will be
that in the routine of the place to
enforce. He at once becomes as safe
to all about him as II he were free
from the disease. II this q true IN
the we'll conducted sapitarium, one
Is more certain to escape c0ntagi0n
than in the average environment Of
people outside 1t. and II Ia said. to be
Of verv rare occurrence that phys.
clans or attendants contract the dis
ease, 1t will be consequently found
that they. do not jeopardise their
netShborhoOd. DR.. .. A. Kn0pf. we'll
as a writer on this subject.
that experience a demonstrate.
ed, with certain sanat0ria IN Germany
and In this country. that is~snttarium
for consumptiyes not only Il not a1
danger TO the neishborhood,l 6ut that
on. the coptrafy. a. L.. 1 cement.
An advantage Incidental to the
subject but readily ~-appreciabls which
be csedited to the lanItAsfnM
Is that inmates returning home Com. |
prise a constantly increasing tnedi.
for spread Of instruction among
the people. not only Of value ~cuEnsivesj
", but Of the consumptives to pre-
vent them being a source of danger.
They become an important part Of the
movement to suppress tuberculosis.
Local boards Of health need not fear
the institution OF sanitoria for con.
and their only oncer Is
that they are properly conducted. With
their spread It may well be that some
will be established which are indif-
managed and regulated. Il
will be within their authority TO PRO
tect themselves against such. |