Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-05-02
Registration Of tuberculosis Now Re.
qulred by State Department Of Health.

A1ytStAu tAvu Va Au1Ot v1AvvtS .e~" 49,
quired by State Department Of Health.
More than "A persons died Of consumption
in New York State each day in February
according to the returns made to the State
Department Of Health and published in its
last report The same monthly bulletin
calls attention to the fact shat the State De-
partment Of Health now requires the regi-
stration Of all cases OF tuberculosis and mr.
ges all local Boards OF Health to include in
its ordinance regarding the reporting OF con-
tagious diseases the word tuberculosis. y
The fact that 427 Of these February deaths
from consumption occurred in communities
outside Of New York City, Buffalo, Rcches-
ter, Yonkers and Troy, the only cities in the
State now requiring registration, is pointed
to by those working to prevent tuberculosis
as conclusive evidence that this new reru-
lation should be put into effect at once.
That So out of the Sc cities in the United
States with populations Of over 1000 re.
quire such reporting is cited as proof that
the plan for registration and reporting Of
consumption is gaining strength throughout
the country and will soon be regarded as Of
equal Importance with the reporting OF
other infections and communicable diseases
To meet the objection that has been some
times raised that such registration intrudes
upon the privacy of the individual and in
terferes with the confidential relation OF
physician and patient, data has been gath
cred, showing conclusively that neither OF
these assertions il well founded. According
to the investigations that have been made
on this point, in cities where reports are re-
quired such reports can be. and are, kept
private and no inconvenience or harm is ex-
perienced by patient or physician.
The experience OF New York City seems
TO show the definite and practical value of
the plan now proposed for adoption, for since
1894, when reporting was first required there
has been steady increase in Manhattan
and the Bronx from 4166 cases reported to
22092 cases reported last year, correspon
ding with and partly resulting in the we'll
known decrease in the death date from tu-
belculosis in this City. Here the Board of
Health requires all hospitals, dispensaries
and physicians to report cases Of tuberculo-
sis and furnishes addressed postal cards for
this purpose, but where there is an attend
ing physician and he requests that no action
be taken, no action is taken, except to re-
port the cases. 1t is not intended to inter-
fere in the relations Of physician and pat
lent where the physician assumes the re
sponsibility of caring for his patient and Of
instructing him so that no harm will come
to others. The Department. in such cases
neither visits nor assumes any sanitary sur
yeillance except where the patient lives in
tenement house ora lodging house, or where
the physician requests that no visit shall be
made by inspectors and is willing himself
to deliver circulars Of information to his
patient or to furnish such equivalents infor-
nation as Is required 30 prevent the CON-
munication of the disease to others. Such
cases of tuberculosis as are discovered and
are not under private treatment are under
this system regularly visited by nurses who
give instructions and note the precautions
against the spread of the disease, the char
acter Of the ventilation and sanitary ar
rangements and who give to persons unable
to purchase them sputum cups and paper
napkins. Through the special clinics and
dispensaries for consumption and through
such agencies as The Charity Organization
Society milk and eggs are furnished to pat
tents who will benefit by such treatment
and who are themselves unable to pay for it.
The fact that the New York City Depart
ment Of Health maintains archaeological
labortory to which private physicians may
send specimens Of sputum for free examina-
ton has always been considered a strong in
fluence in inducing physicians to report
cases since there is thus furnished to them
the results of tests which it wonld be diff
cult and costly for the private practitioner
to obtain in any other way. In 1906, 81, 779
sputum examinations were made at the De-
partment labortory.
CHESTNUT STREET OPERA HOUSE.