Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-09-27
CAUSE OF A MILLION YEARLY
ILLNESSES IN LONDON.
HARMFUL IN EVERY WAY
Swarming With Disease Germs, Espe-
cially Consumption, 1t Forces It.
self Into EVerybody's System-lts
Steady Entrance in the Organism a
Source of Enfeeblement.

gist. every time he walks abroad in
London, must be amazed at the num-
Der of avenues of disease he finds neg
ligently left open by those VINO have
the care of the peoples health.
While the Mail is wrestling with
the difficult problem of the prevention
of dust on the high roads, other and
even much more deadly forms of dust
dust which can be effectively sup
pressed-seem to escape the attention
of sanitarians.
| Health is so important from finan-
cial point of view, not to speak of Its
relation to personal and domestic
happiness, that there is no excuse for
this delay in making practical use of
every discovery in hygiene. We
may take it that ten thousand deaths
involve loss of two and half mill
ions sterling, and that one million
cases of illness, great and little, cost
the community a further eight or ten
million pounds. Taking into account
| the value of the human working ma
chine, this is moderate estimate,
and yet it amounts to half the cost OF
| the local government of London.
Gould the authorities save 10000
lives and prevent 100000 cases Of
illness in London every year? If
what medical men say on the subject
is to be trusted, this could be done by
| aft 10 h. % Il
From dust we get consumption of the
lungs entirely-or practically So
from the dust of rooms, churches, rail-
way stations, ETC., but perhaps main
ly from the dust of streets. Very
few people living in cities escape in
lection. A French physician who
made large number of post-mortem
examinations found foci of tuberculo-
sis in sixty per cent. of the lungs.
None of these people died of consump-
ton. They did not know they had
1t. The malady ran short course,
was cured and left traces behind. In
New York series of 230 post-mor-
TENS revealed marks Of consumption,
suffered at some period during life, In
every individual.
The conclusion from this evidence
is that at least half the jewellers in
| cities are attacked at one time or
| another by consumption severe
enough to destroy part of the lung
tissue. 1t is not unlikely that the
germs find their way into the lungs
of every inhabitant.
| But the only measure so far taken
against this terrible scourge consists
of bylaw against splitting in public
places. bylaw, too, which is not
enforced as it should be. This is not
the measure called for by the circum-
stances. We need a bylaw iorbidding
expectoration in the streets, such as
they have In some American cities.
Sir Michael Foster once said that IL
all tuberculous animals used for food
were destroyed, and If splitting by
phthisical patients were prevented,
tuberculosis would be banished from
the land. If the first OF these meas
ures Is not practicable, the second is
surely worth trying, with the promise
OF such a happy issue. Street dust,
however, is harmful In many ways
1t swarms with disease germs. Medi.
cal men are beginning to recognize It
as the source of many of our respira-
tory diseases. There seems to be lit
tie room for doubt that street dust is
the chief cause OF the common cold
We are also much in need of by
law compelling house-wreckers to
water buildings in course OF demoli-
ton. 1t is well known that the germs
OF several infectious diseases cling T.,
walls and floors for years. These are
showered upon pedestrians in almost
every thorougfare all through the
spring and summer. And, considering
that millions of people pass while any
one house is being pulled down, IT is
safe to declare that the building oper-
atoms of London deal sickness or
death to thousands.
| The shaking OF door mats In the
public streets is another matter de-
handing attention. Surely this opera
ton should be carried out at the back
of the house.
What is the result OF all this dust in
lection? The average household Is
seldom without cough, or cold in
| the head, or case OF bronchitis.
pneumonia, or consumption. Most
cases cost money and lower working
efficiency. Many cause death. And
all reduce the sum Of happiness.
The bylaw could be made an adj.
mirable instrument OF education. A
measure regulating the size OF bed
rooms. for instance. might be re-
sisted as violating the tradition that
an Englishman's house is his castle
But II anything is certain in the
science of hygiene II is that hui
man being requires known minimum
Of cubic space In his sleeping room
for health. That minimum Is not TO
be found in half the bedrooms OF Lon
don. The bedrooms in the cheaper
houses and fats. that are springing
up in such numbers, do not give suf-