The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-11


contagious and infectious diseases. and
especially the disease known as tuber-
culosis.
IN my opinion some of the most eff
fective methods of controlling tubercu-
losis and of reducing the fatalities caused
to human beings by It's effects, would
be laws:
Makes Recomme ndations.
AZ. Ali cases OF the disease should be
reported TO an official board of registra-
ton.
80 All patients found to be suffering
with tuberculosis, should be isolated from
their relatives. friends and all other per
sons; should be given separate quarters,
open air exercise and the best treatment
possible.
80 All rooms or apartment houses which
have been occupied by patients suffering
With tuberculosis, or in which patients
have died with the disease, should be
thoroughly fumigated before again be
ing occupied by any other persons The
completeness or thoroughness of the fumi-
CATION should be tested by a competent
bacteriologist.
a Much care should be observed in
seeing that the sputum of all tuberculosis
persons around premises is destroyed
crematng being n very effective method
as the sputum is known to DE teemns
with ;ubercle bacclli. the verS virus of
the disease The clothing OF all persons
who have died with the disease should be
crenated or thoroughly fumigated be-
for, being brought into a room that
is to be occupied by any other per
son.
So The rigid enforcement of laws pre-
venting expectorating in all cars for pub
lie travel. theatres, churches. school
buildings. hotels, and all other public
buildings and places.
IS More attention should be given to
tho inspection of meats. milk and dairy
herds, the condemnation and destruction
of all meats milk and dairy cows af-
fected with tuberculosis Many of the
experts who have made extensive investi-
ga atoms along this line. tell us that bovine
tuberculosis, carried through infected
mil. principally. is one of the greatest
agencies of injecting human beings with
this terrible disease. 1t is known that
the baccili of bovine tuberculosis differ
only slightly in their morphological pecu-
liarltes and that they possess the ca
pacity of adopting themselves TO the
pecullarltes of their Individual hosts.
~. More attention should be given to
the sanitation of buildings, dwellings
and so on.
IS. Every county in the state should
have a special board of health, to aid
in carrying out the work with the state
board of health.
80. The state should have a thorough
ly equipped meteorological laboratory
with competent officer in charge, to
aid the physicians in making cor
rect diagnosis I'm all cases. The physi-
clans could send in specimens of sputum
from all suspects coming under their
observation of practice; these specimens
should be tested by the bacteriologist
for a correct diagnosis in every case.
Birmingham an Ideal Place.
Birmingham would be an ideal city
in which to have laboratory OF this
kind to be used for state work, being cen
trally located and easily accessible to
physicians from all parts of the state.
THE city of Baltimore and the state
of Maryland have their laboratories COM
bined for doing work Of this kind. which
has proven to be a marked success. AL
ready very gratifying results have been
accomplished in the way OF regulating
and preventing the spread OF the various
infectious and contagious diseases known
to man.
''In looking over the report of the
state board of health OF Maryland for
the year 1905, ! note that over 26o0 people
died with tuberculosis, besides the thou
sands of people who are inflicted with
this terrible disease. No doubt but that
such conditions exist in our beloved state
to "a deplorable degree, but at present
we have no facilities nor methods In
force for ascertaining the facts.
ut would be fine thing for public
health in general II we could have the
fundamental principles of bacterioloey
taught i'm the public schools of the state,
the pupils to be taught as much as pos
sible OF the specific causes and the ma
ture of the various infectious diseases.
and of domestic sanitation in the homes.
This inclpient knowledge of the subjects
would be of inestimable value to pub
lie health in general and Of very great
benefit to the health authorities and ply
sicians in controlling diseases. thereby
decreasing the morbid effects produced
on health by disease, as in this way the
public would know more of the specific
cau4e and nature Of diseases and OF the
importance of observing much care TO
prevent the infection Of one person from
ano.hern