The Washington times., 1905-05-18
Education IS Needed in
Fighting Against Great
White Plague.
PUBLIC IS AWAKENING
President Trudeau Receives
an Ovation-Opens Con-
vention With Address.

-
late Of Johns Hopkins University, be-
fore his departure for Oxford Enfver-
sity. England, was the feature OF the
first session of the first annual meeting
of the National Association fo- the
Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis.
held in the banquet hau Of the New
Willard at Il O'Clock this morning
About 400 members Of the association
including $50 women and the ablest
medical lights OF the United States,
were present, and q larger number CT
| those engaged in fighting the great
white plague" will arrive before the end
| Of the meeting which viii close tomor-
row night.
The first session was called to order by
| the associations 8 president, DR.. Edward
r. Trudeau, of Saranac Lake. n. r.
who received an unusual ovation when
| he took the chair. The nl0abers rose
to their feet and applaoded him loudly
s4or several minutes.
DR.. Trudeau was once at the point Of
death with tuberculosis, but is now re-
covered
In opening the meeting. Dr.. Trun-
deau said that this, being the '9rst
regular meeting Of the National Asso-
! citation for the study and prevention Of
| tuberculosis, marks an epoch in the
/ history of the struggle against this
disease IN america.
/ After speaking Of the great inroads
| on life by the great white plague" he
continued:
Abroad the value of organization
and cooperation has already been rec
ognized, and the modern crusade
against tuberculosis finds European
nations not as units. each following its
| own, independent path. but banded to-
| gether In an international association,
with a central bureau in Berlin. issu-
/ ing It's monthly publications in three
| languages. and bringing together at
| its meetings held at stated intervals
| the best minds Of medical and related
professions of all countries for delib-
/ Grafton and consultation.
/ ''Tardily though it be, with US a be-
| ginning has been made, the United
States is no longer without representa-
| ton among the nations in their COM
| bined struggle with the great white
plague, and this association is now
part OF that vast international move
ment to stamp out tuberculosis which
| has been steadily spreading over the
| world.
| Organization and Cooperation.
| Organization and cooperation are
the keynotes Of the age, and the two
main factors on which the success OF
the vast undertakings of modern times
has depended. On their thorough ap-
plication and broadest Interpretation
depends the degree Of success the Ma
tional Association viii achieve. The
first problem before it is to combine and
direct the scattered efforts of indi-
vidual workers and existing associations
= H. III 81
these efforts. The precise lines along
which the great society will develop its
work rests with you and the future.
THE first and greatest need is educa-
ton; education Of the people. anG
through them education OF the State
! 1t is evident that If every man and
woman in the United States Were IA
nliliar with the main facts relating Il
the manner in which tuberculosis is
communicated, and the simple measure:
II necessary for the protection not only
we might reasonably expect as direc
result OF this knowledge q great dimtnu
tion IN the death rate Of the disease, bu
the people would soon demand and easi
ly obtain effective legislation for its pre-
veution and control.
when d State has onee become wei
educated, and not before, Will the othe
requisites necessary to the control o
the disease be forthcoming Thes
requisites are. briefly. d higher standart
!
tions OF life for the masses; sanitar,
la Ws emb0dying the municipal contF0
of tuberculosis in public institutions AM
prisons; the esta hlishment of sanitari
ums for fncipient cases; hospitals 70
advanced and hopeless ones who canno
| be cared fCE safely at their homes
specifically organized dispensaries, lab
oFatories for receaTch.
Dr. 0sler's Remarks.
DR.. Osler. who is vice president o
the association, then took the floor, IN
: PRODUCING his remarks by saying h
agreed with the president that educa
ton is the greatest thing needed 70
the battle with consumption.
We have three to educate" he said
l "the public the profession, and the pul
4 pit.
5 IN spite Of it's frivoiity, its size an,
Z other things which 1 refrain from men
tioning. New York city has set tn
pace for the public in the matter O
Q making good laws relating to eonsump
ton and law making is one of the pub
lies duties
s'The public. l may say. is awaken
ing-not thoroughly awake, but sittin
on the edge OF the bed, not dressed.
Then, too the profession shoul
Continued Fourth Fage.}