The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-05-16
Washington Letter.

(From our regular correspondent
Washington, D. c., May 8, 1907.
The national capital is pretty well
hardened to conventions, but this
week has been unusual, even for
Washington. The Medical Con-
gress has been in session and there
has been sixteen medical societies
meeting simultaneously. Most OF
these INDUCED in ahstruse discus
sions and were entirely outside the
range of average lay comprehension.
But one of the banches dealt with a
very lively topic for everyone in the
country. 1t was the national Associ-
ton for the study and prevention Of
tuberculosis. Much has been learned
in the past few years of tuberculosis,
or as it is more popularly called, con-
sumption, and the advance has been
due almost entirely to the work OF
this association.
From being mysterious and in
durable malady. the Great White
Plague has been proved disease
that can not only be controlled in its
spread, but can be cured in its first
stages. The Association has gone
in for a campaign of education, and
now has subsidiary bodies in twen-
ty-two states and territories and is
spreading all the time. 1t publishes
and distributes plainly worded liter
ature on simple methods of control
ling the spread of the disease. 1t
has proved beyond question that
consumption is infectious and can be
given by one person to another
through the dust that is infected by
the patients sputa. But it has
shown also that there is no need for
the consumptive to be treated as a
social outcnst and av ided by all
men. Simple and sensible precau-
tons will prevent the spread Of the
disease, and the open air treatment
will check and improve the trouble
at almost any stage, and in the ear
lier stages will cure it.
This will be good news to an al
most countless army of the afflicted
The association is pushing its work
and intends in the coming winter to
organize those of the southern states
that have not yet associations. The
officers elected at the present meet
ing were DIR. Frank Billings Of Chi
cago, president; DR.. M. P. Ravenel
of Philadelphia, and DR.. John G
P. Foster of New Haven, vice pres
idents; DR.. Henry B. Jacobs OF
Baltimore, secretary; and Gen. Geo
Sternberg of Washington, treasurer
Any of these gentlemen can put suf.
ferers or those interested in the
spread of the work in communica
ton with the nearest society by
whom they will be furnished with
literature and advice if they need i,
and put on the road to making use
| of all that is best and latest in the
realm of medical discovery in con.
nection with the disease. The more
consumptives who learn how to helr
and take proper care of themselves
the easier and more quickly spread
will be the campaign of education
that is now being pushed by the Ma.
tional Association.
The story that has been going the
rounds this week of the impending
retirement of Attorney Genera
Bonaparte from the Cabinet, is en-
tirely without foundation, at least sc
says the Attorney General, ard ht
ought to know. Mr.. Bonaparte hal
not been in good health for yeal
past, and he has been so suffering
from nervous trouble for som.
months that he has been away
good deal from the Department O.
Justice. But while the enforced
absence has somewhat complicated
! his work, it has not hindered it, ane
he:says that he not only not does fee
the necessity of resigning, but i
hurt that the story should have bee,
started.
Enlisting mice as regular part o
the naval establishment would seen
rather novelty, but this is practi
cally what is being done. Their
was glass jar of little fellows at tn
Navy Department this week tina
had served as a part of the irregular
crew of the Plunger, and nearly al
of the submarines, of which Their
are now several in the navy, carr,
the white mice almost as much.
matter of churse as they do the 9th
or members of the crew. The nous
idea came originally from the fac
that sailors insist on having mascot
on all of the war ships. Some jack
ey undertook to rear some whit,
mice on one of the submarines, th.
little fellows being one of the few
| varieties of pets that the cramped