Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-04-10
..eoNoRsss on, s!usgaevlosis.
pssss !nsssnstionai 0sshsrins to q
Held ~ Wsshin0tsa. .o1est Fall.

sohssrss oh IubrseuIOsis Is an rhrht
OF more than passing interest TO this
country,
Very gradually science has .xtsnlsa
its sway over the ailments that sea
the human body until even the worst
OF the eontasioas diseases hGye been
brought under eaniroi. while others
iiks the caee-dreaded smallpox. has
been all tut eradieaied, Tuberculosis
is the last Of the Infectious diseases in
which I, has been been possible TO isn'
onsiraie cure as possible. No specific
has been found. but the application oi
the heaiias virtues Of rest. good food.
and n life in tho open air day and night
in suitable climate. have rroysn ef,
feetive in restoring TO health many per
sons for whom formerly there would
have been considered NO possibis hope
of cure. The development Of the
sanatoriun idea is' u logical outcome.
and this Was followed by the forms-
lion of = national association for the
study AMI prevention a tuberculosis:
lastly there have been formed stat. or
sanixAtions. subsidiary To the national
ani International associations. all
working toward the. one end. the pre-
y.n,ion and eontEoi bt tuberculosis
One hahdred and hfty thousand per.
sons di. each year in.ths United States
from this disease alone: an rSrrasv OF
900 each day. II wc were In the midst
of war that sacrificed that many men
In battle there would go up from all
over this land q protest to terminate
thss M s-in n
these in authority could not do other
wise than heed. hut. Nc have Grown
accustomed To this cSaciins toll OF life
and It's train Of attendant human mis-
cry. even when its victims fall at the
age of their greatest usefulness tn the
state. when their earning power Ii the
highest. when they mean the most To
their family and to the community nj
large. and when they have. the most
io live 70! themselves.
Tn. withdrawal from the ranks of
industry by inyalldism and death dn"
to tuberculosis represents u money loss
to the United States Of over 100000.
600 per snaum: nm approximate loss OF
s. per year for every man. woman and
child In the nation. or So per annum
for the average family. From an eco
notnic point view we educate chill
drcn at public expense that they may
he of rr .atcr value to the state when
they attain to manhood and woman.
hood. and may he the better fitted TO
succeed IN whatever line Of Industry
they choose TO take up. And yet. after
all the years spent In the public school.
the time spent on each one by trained
Instructors. and the money spent In
pcrf.c,ing this system of education. We
neglect to take the precautions that
aili insure mn adequate return for this
time and money spent. by our neglect
of protective sanitary and hysicntc
measures. the Ignorance and carclcss'
ness that makes easy the contracting
of nm Insidious. infectious disease like
tuberculosis a business proposition
permitting st,ch an annual waste either
In human life or money would not be
tolerated for n day. and prompt. effect
i've steps would be taken 10 correct the
condition that permitted such waste
fulnes:. The stat. Is all OF ~. and the
orctically We strive to secure the great.
est good TO the greatest number. This
needless loss Of life and economic
waste IL prcvcniible. but the prevention
Is not the work OF any one individual.
nor even nn association composed OF
few: II Is the work Of the state. OF the
nation. Universal knowledge OF the
existence of these conditions. of the ab.
solute fact that thrcc.fourths OF the
deaths from tuberculosis are prevent
able. with resultant saving Of millions
OF dollars. must become general knowl.
edge throughout the country In order
to insure success.
The spread of tuberculosis is through
either a contaminated food supply. or
the inhalation OF the germs Of the dis.
ease TO be found floating In the air. at
tachcd to minute particles OF dust.
In the lungs OF most consumptives
there is process Of destruction taking
place all the time: the tissue broken
down by the action of Nle tubercle ba.
cilli finds it's way into the bronchi OF
the lungs, and is there coughed up and
spit out. This broken down. waste ma
terial Is loaded with millions OF the
germs of tuberculosis. Most perish on
exposure 10 light air and sunshine. but
large number on drying become at
tached TO particles of dust AMI float
in the air. subject to gusts Of wind and
the disturbance created by traffic.
ready to be inhaled by the passerby.
Breathed into the lungs they lodge in
air cells little used, and here multiply
rapidly and begin their work of de-
struction that gradually spreads
throughout the whole body.
Some Municipalities have laws that
prohibit spitting on sidewalks. in the
corridors of public buildings. public
conveyances and the like. In many in
stances these laws are out poorly en-
forced. II at all. Due to the indiffer-
ence of officials and ignorance of the
infections nature of the disease, that
is almost criminal.
Associations, local, state and ma
tional, have been formed to correct
these conditions. and to enforce laws
that will control the spread of the in
fection. An international congress,
with members in every civilized coun-