Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-16
TALKS OF COLONY
Or. J. w. Petit Tells of Work
on Prevention Of Tuber.
culosis.
SUCCESS DUE TO THE PRESS
Newspapers Have Given Literally OF
Their Space for Reports of Find
ings of Committee.

DR.. ]. W. Petit. of Ottawa. was
among the early arrivals at the Eli
nois Medical society convention,
coming in last evening. DR.. Pet
tit is chairman OF the society's special
committee on the prevention OF tuber-
culosis, and in that capacity will make
one of the most interesting committee
reports of the entire convention. His
committee has the distinction of being
able TO report that every suggestion
made in the outline of its work, at the
last convention at Bloomington, has
been accomplished or is now under
way. Though DR.. Petit himself takes
Il little credit for these results. he has
been untiring in his work during the
year, and has given over half of his
thine and propOrtionately of his ener
gies and means TO the work of the
committee In this work he has assO-
ciated with him Prof c. L. Mix, of the
Northwestern Medical school, and DIR.
J. F. Percy. of Galesburg. Both are
! TO give addresses on tuberculosis
| treatment before the section on medi-
cal practice They have been as en-
thusiastic in their work as their chair
man.
Founded Tent Colony.
DR.. Petit is enthusiastic over the
subject Of scientific treatment of tuber-
cuIosis. He has the distinction of hav-
ing founded the only successful tent
colony in the Mississippi valley. where
tuberculosis is treated on the principle
of fresh air and good food. This col
ony at Ottawa has treated successfully
about 125 patients, and there are IS
who are taking treatment there at the
present time. The results obtained at
Ottawa are equally as good as in any
similar colony in the United States or
in European countries.
DIR. Petit. in speaking of the institu-
tion, says: Our aim was TO prove first
that tuberculosis could be successfully
treated without the patients leaving
Illinois. and to influence the legisla-
ture to make an appropriation for the
care of poor patients in the state We
have been successful in both aims, the
legislature last week making an APP
preparation of $4,000 for the establish |
ment of a sanitarium for the care of |
consumptives While this amount is |
but beginning il is sufficient to com
nit the state to the principle of state |
care of tuberculosis patients.
= Progress OF Illinois,
illinois has done more in the last |
year in the way of scientific campaign
ing against tuberculosis than any 9th
er state of the union has done in all |
time" said DR. Petit. in speaking of
the committees work during the year
10
colony since its organization, 125 pa
tients, and at present 80 are being car
ed for there. More can not be accom-
modated The patients. according TO
DIR. Petit, have slept in their tents
during the entire winter. of their own
accord, and his observation is that
they do even better n the extreme cold
weather than during the summer
months.
DR. Petit. in speaking OF the results
of the committees experiments. gives
great credit to the press Of the state.
He said: "One reason why this state
has accomplished so much during the
year is that the medical profession and
the press of the state have been work
ing together in the interests of the
against tuberculosis. Our
have been fully published. and
everywhere we get the best from the
in the way of publicity of
our Investigations and theories. 1t
would be of no value for us to know
the proper treatment of this scourge
unless the public is made aware of
our knowledge of the methods OF pre-
Vention and cure
Domestic Science Helps.
In his work al the Ottawa institute
DR. Petit has an able assistant in
Miss Adella Safer, graduate and for
mer teacher at the Lewis institute in
Before taking up the work
at Ottawa she was employed by the
state of Wisconsin as a demonstration
for farmers institutes. She is the first
woman TO graduate from a domestic
science course and apply the work 10
treatment of tuberculosis She is a
dietitian of unquestioned ability. and
her address before the medical sectiOn1
on the importance of diet in the treat
ment of tuberculosis will be of particu
lar interest. She has entire charge of
the preparation of the diet lists at the
tent colony and her work has been
reTna rkably successful