Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
What the Cities Are Doing.

IN nlty-nlne OF the cities or tElS country
of more than $1,000 inhabitants tubercu-
losis is now recognized as a communicable
disease. and in the majority steps have
been taken within recent years to combat
1t. Much of this work is OF a preventive
nature. such the diSinfection of houses
and apartments in which consumptives
have lived prior to their occupancy by new
tenants; and the health departments of at
least thirty of these cities are engaged In
distributing more or less widely circulars
of information In regard to the nature of
consumption. how to avoid contracting 1t or
giving it to others, and how the consump-
tive should live" In some of the cities
public lectures are given upon the subject;
and In both lectures and literature the con-
slant aim is to emphasize that tuberculosis
is preventable and durable If only com
mon sense is brought to bear in the preven-
ton and treatment of the disease. These
circulars and lectures, written and deliver
ed by eminent medical authorities, furnish
ample proof for the statement that con-
sumption is no longer disease OF despair
The municipality are not limiting their
energies to fighting incipient tuberculosis
merely. Advanced cases also receive their
serious attention. that they may not cause
infection In New York. IL advanced
patient cannot be given the proper care IN
his home. or the crowded conditions of liv
ing In the immediate neighborhood NAL Ike
IT exceedingly easy for the disease to spread
despite precautions. the right of forcibe re-
moVal is exercised. and the patient is placed
In hospital which has wards especially for
the trea tment of such cases. Many munich
pal hospitals now equipped; and the
penal institutions in not a few states have
lately provided wards for the exclusive use
of advanced tuberculouS patients. besides
subjecting incipient cases to the open-air
trea tment as far prison life will allow.
As Is the rule In a number of cities. New
York requires the registration OF all con-
sumpiive cases, and In this way is better
able to protect the general health of the
community. since ii employs a staff of VS.
| ting physicians and nurses who give aid
| and instructions TO those patients who by
reason of their poverty or ignorance of fhe
peculiarities of the disease, would other
| wise be a source of great menace. When
necessary the City furnishes free OF cost the
| approved sanitary appliances used to pre-
| vent the spread of the disease.
/ Recent Development in the Battle.
The most recent development in the fight
| is that of the organization of associations
composed of both PHYSICIANS and laymen.
| This movement Is under the auspices of the
| National Association for the Study and Pre-
vention of tuberculosis, only a little over a
| year old itself.
Five years ago there was only one asso-
! ciat of this kind in the country; similar
associations now exist in many of the
| states. and new ones. both state and local.
| are being organized almost every day. Lo-
/ cal associations have towns. cities and
| counties for their field: these are affiliated
| with state associations. which not only look
| after the state generally. but supervise the
local associations and the state bodies In