Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-08
TUBERCULOSIS CASES
Favorable Report on Commits.
sioners' Bill Ordered.
TO- PREVENT INFECTION
Health Department to Have Free
Examinations.
EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT
Large Number of Cities Now Have
Laws for Such Purposes-Pro-
visions of Bill.
TO PREVENT INFECTION
EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT

The House District committee has author
lied favorable report on the Commits
sioners' bill to provide for reports and reg
istration of all cases of tuberculosis in the
District of Columbia, for free examination
in suspected cases and for the prevention
of the spread of the disease.
Representative Campbell OF Kansas says
in the report on the bin which he has pre-
pared that most of the large cities of the
United States have passed laws requiring
that all cases be reported to the health de-
partment SO that If any attention is neces-
sary for preventing infection it can be
given.
.'The death rate since registration was
begun" says Mr.. Campbell in his report.
had shown q general decline, with some
variation, in spite of the increasingly I'M
favorable conditions in the city New York
city,, due to the addition to the population
each year of about 100000 foreign-born
and often almost destitute emigrants. giving
8 density of population unequaled anywhere
in the world. The number of reports made
in greater New York-the first city to pro-
vide for registration-in 1905 was 81 ,063, and
an inquiry of some Of the principal physl-
clans practicing under this law indicates its
wisdom and efficacy. and they state that
they have known of but one or two cases IN
which any hardship whatever has resulted
to patients from such reports.
"Other cities have had similar laws at
various dates since Inen anu an iHSesu6d-
ton of the eighty-six largest shows that
fifty-three of them have laws requiring the
report of all cases and that the number en-
acting such laws has increased rapidly dur
Of the greater knowledge of the decrease
and of the necessity of it's administrative
control.
Attracting Attention In Europe.
cit appears that in this manner the
United States has taken the lead, but Its
experience is attracting increasing atten-
ton in Europe. In March last the local
government board Of Scotland adopted very
thorough measures for the administrative
control of tuberculosis, and provided for
reports of all cases. On October %, l0C6,
such law as this was unanimously ADOPT
ed by the town council Of Glasgow. and on
December IS the town council of Edinburgh
also adopted such a law. The necessity OF
such measures seems to be definitely estab-
ished by the experience OF other large
cities Of the country.
eft seems that one OF the most important
points in the treatment of the disease IS
that cases taken in time in this vicinity as
we'll as elsewhere show that proper treat
ment by means Of plenty OF fresh air. nour-
ishing food and rest will restore most cases
to health and usefulness. The most certain
method of detecting the disease IL by
meteorological examination of the sputum
and In order to encourage this early
diagnosis most Of the large cities of the
country have for some time provided for
the free examination of it, just as provision
Is made for the detection OF dyptherla ana
other contagious diseases. a
THE Investigation made In connection
with this measure showed that out OF the
eighty-six largest cities of the United states
sixty have provision Tor the free e xamina
ton of sputum in all cases. The number
of sputum examinations In New York city
last year was 1850, and physicians there
state that this provision is OF the greatest
nnoyxv n al rrraln in
ing whether the disease Is present or not;
and it often relieves the physician Of the
responsibility Of himself giving decision
which might be unWelcome to the patients
"All the cities Of the country larger
than Washington have provisions for
the free examination OF sputum. and OF
the largest Washington is the only one
which Is yet without facilities for this.
Provisions Of Bill.
Briefly stated. the bill provides as fol-
lows:
Section 1. For the report Of the usual
details as to cases, but unlike the laws for
contagious diseases allows one week In
which this may be done.
Section provides for the free examina-
ton of sputum The law in this respect Is
permissiye.
Section is very strict in securing
privacy Of the records and Is In advance
Oh any Otner law IN lhAS ieSPoSI do hVSe
laws leave this feature to the good judg-
ment of the health department.
Section guards against any interior
ence by the health department in any
case which Is being properly taken care
of by a physician who requests that the
health department take no action.
Section covers disinfection.
Section provides for the observance OF
all sanitary rules and regulations OF the
Commissioners for the prevention Of the
spread of tuberculosis.
Section-7 provides for the report to the
health department of recovered cases.
Section provides penalty for violation
Section o provides the methods of prose-
cution.
Section 10 is the usual repeal clause.