Evening star., 1905-11-04
OPEN-AIR TREATMENT
MFoRTs TO CURE CONSUMPTION
AND SMALLPOX.

Consul Mahin OF Nottingham, England,
reports to the Department OF Commerce
and Labor successful efforts to cure con-
sumption and smallpox by the opens air
treatment. He writes:
The open-air treatment for consumption
has been initiated in this consular district
with successful results. Three years ago
on elevated ground, with southern aspect.
at the edge OF a forest. 1t is primarily for
persons OF limited means or none at all,
and is therefore supported mainly by con-
tr1butfons from philanthropic people. The
cases OF consumption in this district are
chiefly among the poor, and these can only
be reached through charitable institutions.
The annual number of deaths In this city
from consumption Is nearly 900, being about
10 per cent of the total number from all
causes. The ratio in the entire county Is
about the same, the annual number OF
deaths approaching LOCO. An interesting
fact is that the percentage OF mortality
among males Is much greater than that
among females even where the two sexes
are employed in the same trade. as in lace
or hosiery manufacture.
Results Obtained.
about 200 patients have passed through
the Nottingham sanatorium since 1t was
founded. or these, the disease was ar
rested in about 25 per cent. great improve
ment was reported in about 80 per cent.
some Improvement in % per cent. station
ary was reported for 10 per cent, while the
remainder grew worse. No deaths are 80
far reported. Altogether, this record is
considered good, in view of the fact that
most of the patients are in advanced stages
of the disease. 1t is found very difficult to
induce persons to take treatment at the
first signs Of tuberculosis. An 'after-care
committee endeavors to follow up leaving
organization is also effected to secure suit
able employment for discharged patients.
1t is proposed, besides. to provide some
light outdoor work. such as horticulture
for patients at the sanatorium.
The Sanatorium.
1.-The sanatorium is long one-story frame
building with central part Of two stories
A rooted veranda facing southwark extends
the full length of the one-story wings. Ex-
tensions can be made Indefinitely as means
are obtained In Derbyshire the health
officials have provided small huts with one
side open for consumptive patients. These
can be turned around with changes OF the
wind, to prevent it's blowing directly on
the patients In the beds. Besides sanatoria.
various drugs have been tested in this
country for the cure of tuberculosis En-
couraging results are reported from the use
of a cylln inhalant, the composition OF
which is not definitely announced, but Is
understood to be certain members of new
series of oxidiZed hydrocarbons.
THE total annual number of deaths from
tuberculosis in this country Is placed at
not less than 10000, and the total number
of sufferers from consumption at a given
time is estimated at 100000 Statistics,
however, indicate a decrease of 80 per cent
in the mortality in comparison with few
years ago in proportion to population. This
improvement Is attributed to advanced
methods Of treatment, to measure for
preventing infection and to education in
wholesome ways of living and working.
Open-Air Treatment for Smallpox.
1.-The open-air treatment has also been
successfully applied to smallpox cases. The
health officer of Nottingham recently re-
ported as follows: The uniform practice of
nursing all serious cases singly in bell tents
with open sides, /. e., practically in the
open air. has been adopted with the best
results. All cases so treated made rapid
recovery with minimum of septic COM
plications. In addition to the advantage to
the individuals themselves there Is the pal
pabie advantage to other patients in hos
pital with them of being out of reach of
the poisonous emanations from their bodies
during the acute stage Of their attacks The
progress of the cases so treated has been SO
much more satisfactory than that Of those
nursed in the wards that patients lately ad-
mitted to hospital have often asked, on
the strength of what they had heard out
side, to be nursed In the open air rather
than in the hospital wards" "