Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-05-17
Randolph Continued.
HOW TO LIVE
In Order to Cure tuberculosis and
Prevent its Spread.

Prevent It's Spread.
A goodly number OF people took advan-
/ tage Of the opportunity to learn some
thing about the cause prevention and
cure OF tuberculosis by hearing members
of the Vermont State tuberculosis COM
mission discuss the subject in Dubois &
| Gays hall Monday evening.
DR.. j.. p. Clifford presided over the
meeting and made an excellent nitro
dactory speech in which he showed the
urgent need OF disseminating among the
people a knowledge Of the dread disease,
\ which is the cause of more illness and
death than any other one or two factors
in the world. Wisdom no longei, as in
4 the early DAYS, Is confined to the pro-
fessions, but has become the possession
OF the masses to whose intelligence all
great movements must appeal for c0un-
tenanee and support. No efforts TO check
Z the terrible inrOads of the white plague.
whose victims are mum bered by the
( thousands. viii be effeetual without the
cooperation OF a people wel-lnformed
as 10 its nature and the means to be ems
ployed for its suppressioni hence the
tuberculosis commission has started
campaign of education through public
meetings, of which this gathering Is one.
Dr.. II. ID. Holton OF Brattleboro, presi-
dent OF the commission, was then intro
duced and gave a plain, practical talk
that brought the necessity OF intelligent
action home to his hearers and made il
evident that the maxim, knowledge is
power" is never more true than in deal
ing with tuberculosis.
The disease be said is communicable
but not infectious like diphtheria or
scarlet fever, and the tuberculosis patient,
IL he cares properly for his sputum and
follows certain rules OF life, is no more
dangerous than a person with sick
headache.
Consumption, as it used to be called.
proceeds from a germ, a little seed, that
multiplies rapidly. There are 100000 of
them in every mouthful Of sputum ana
they will form 100000 more m a very
short time. We have, unfortunately,
been a nation OF spitters but are happily
mcnding our ways in that respect and
thereby lessening the spread OF con-
sumption. Sputum, when carelessly
hawked upon the streets or floors, dries
and becomes a poisonous dust to be
inhaled by other people. injecting their
lungs.
Sputum should never be wiped from the
lips with a handkerchief or other cloth on
which it Will be left to dry for its hosts OF
germs to be shaken later into the air, but
should be deposited on piece of paper or
something that can be burned at the first
opportunity. Small paper boxes to be
carried in the pocket sre made Tor this
express purpose and samples of them
were distributed among the audience.
The spread OF consumption is almost
wholly due to the sputum, small amount
OF which is enough to infect dozens Of
people The disease used TO be thought
hereditary, bat now it IS known that
heredity has nothing 10 do with it beyond
giving one a constitution, perhaps, in
which the germs will grow like seeds IN
fertile soll.
To prevent the development OF tubercu-
losis, take great care to keep the system N
good condition, have good ventilation IN
homes and schoolhouse, eat good, nourish-
ing food, take daily baths, have large, airy
chambers and sleep with two windows
open half their length. Measles are often
a contributory cause Of consumption
through their weakening effect upon the
system. and the continued use Of alcohol
tends to he same end The victims of
this disease are usually from Is to 40 years
of age and last year mum bered los in the
state Of Vermont alone. This number was l
less than the year before, giving assurance
of a gradual limitation Of the plague
through more intelligent care OF the
affected and a wiser manner Of living.
Let the patient have his own cups and I
spoons that are disinfected as often as he |
uses them and are kept from the rest Of
the family, and by following faithfully
scourge can be stayed in its sweep
through a community or single family.
DIR. w. \. Bryant OF Ludlow, secretary I
of the commission, supplemented DR.. Hol- |
tons remarks by some statistics on the /
death rate from tuberculosis which he /
stated to be 10000 a year in the United 1
States, or about 100 day, with one death |
of a consumpiive every . minutes in /
Greater New York. The death rate is |
highest in California, which has Tennessee I
for a close second, and lowest in the Da- I
kotas, Utah and Idaho, which have a |
hardy pioneer population with few inhab- 4
itants long past the prime OF life. Caliior- |
mia was once free of the disease, but con-
sumptives, far gone, poured into the state |
for years by the carloads to die there and |
SOW the seeds OF the harvest now being |
reaped
There is no need, DR.. Bryant said, for
the afflicted to go out of New England to
save their lives il they will breath their
pure native air "a hours a day, lose their |
fear of drafts eat as much as possible Of
the right kind OF diet and enjoy absolute
rest of mind and body. From IS to % per
cent are cured now and the number is in
creasing. The only place that a majority
Of the consumptives can be properly cared |
for is in sanitarIum. such a one as the |
generosity Of Senator Proctor is providing
for the state and which will be not only OF
curative but educational value by sending
out those who have been restored TO health |
to teach by preeept and example the way
to physical we'll being.
Terrible plaques, those itching, Fostering !
diseases OF the skin. Put an end to mis-
cry. Doans Ointment cures. AT any
druggtorp