The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-05-14

tnaC the germ would not combat. ssThe
idea that consumption is Inherited i,
declared DR.. Harper, has long been
Iexploded and there is not a person but
has the same right to combat the di-
5sease. It is possible that weakness may
be inherited and that this weakness
may make it impossible for the patient
to combat the germ when it takes hold
Of him, but placed in proper environ
ment there is no one who can NOT keep
away from the disease. The germ must
come to you-all are liable to meet II
and one half of the people Of the world
gare sometime in life attacked bv the
germ Of the. dread disease and If the
individual resistance is not sufficient
the germ gets it's foothold and the
patient drops by the wayside the vic
tim Of the hectic flush and the con
sumptive cough. One patient dies from
| consumption every two minutes. $780,
1000 Americans died from the disease
during the past year and in Wisconsin
1900 deaths were attributed to con.
sumption last year.
DR.. Harper discussed at length the
economic questions in connection with
the prevention and cure Of the disease
and declared that this fact alone should
make the fight against the white plague.
one Of particular interest to the state
and nation. He stated that it was not
a disease of old men or children. but
that it attacked it's patients when they
were between the ages of Is and 35
and that one-fourth Of the deaths in
America between these ages were due
to consumption. He spoke of the eff
feet of civilization and freedom on the
american negro and declared that since
slavery days when consumption among
the negroes was practically unknown
one-half. of the deaths among the
race in this country were caused by con
sumption.
He spoke of the fact that the fight
against consumption was more import
ant than the passage of a ship subsidy
bill or any other business now in the
hands Of the national law makers. He
showed that England had reduced her
death rate fifty per cent in fifty years
simply by throwing proper protection
about people with the disease and in the
same time France had shown no change
In the number of deaths on account
of the fact that there had been no reg
ulations there. He spoke Of the places
for the treatment Of tuberculosis that
had been opened by the insurance com
'panies of Germany and the work that
these had done to cut down the death
rates In that country. He declared
that the insurance companies found it
cheaper to treat patients than to pay
the sick benefits to tuberculosis patti
ents.
Speaking of the practical side of the
question he stated that tuberculosis
was easier to prevent than to cure and
that the man or woman attacked by
the disease in it's incipient stage should
carefully follow the orders of his physf-
clan as consumption was a disease most
easy to cure if taken in it's first stages.
"Fresh air, sunshine, good food and
rest he said, Fare the enemies Of
disease and with them the cure while
lit may be slow is sure. Get back to
nature and learn to live in the open
air. Fresh air never hurt any one and
the more you get of it the better it
will be-
DR.. Harper spoke Of the carrying of
the germ in sputum and in dragging
skirts by which it was taken into the
home and left in dark closets to ma
ture and breed other germs. He said
that the disease was contagious and
infectious. That it could be taken in
foods, in vegetables and in milk. He
urged careful scrutiny of milk sup
plies in cities and towns and declared
that a great number of the cases were
brought by germs in milk. He said
that the human consumption often
came from the bovine germ and that
the two were closely related.
elf you live right, 5" said DR. Harper,
you will never be bothered by con-
sumption. It was an old Indian adage
that the man who planted tree in
front Of his house began to dig his own
grave. Be careful of shrubbery and
trees about your house that they do
not shut out the sunlight and bring
dampness which is the best breeding
ground for tuberculosis. germs He
spoke in favor of the better sanitary
arrangements for houses, Of hard wood
floors with no "spare parlors'' closed
for the breeding germs. He spoke Of
plans for the teaching of the dangers
of tuberculosis in the schools Of the
cities that the children might learn to
combat the disease. He declared that
alcoholism, the excessive use of tobac-
co and all other habits Of intemperance
which irritated the nervous system and
made it weaker were friendly to the
development of the dread disease-of
changes that should be made in shops
and factories to prevent the spread Of
| disease of this nature-that tubercular
people were not outcasts, but that they
should be taught the proper care of