The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-08-28
tuberculosis Cure.

DR.. r. c. Mahaney, of this city
read the following paper before the
recent meeting of the county asso-
citation of farmers clubs:
Mr.. Pres. Ladies and Gentlemen:
The subject of tuberculosis, its
prevention and cure is a world sub
ject today. Not only are the people
of the cities and state helping in this
campaign but the nation and the
world are beginning the crusade
against it which I hope will re-
s'Ilt in its extinction.
This is not a doctors question
but it is yours for without you we
will be helpless. This is not ques-
tion that affects the poor only nor the
rich only but one which affects us
all; the farmer, the preacher, the
laborer, the merchant and even the
doctor is not exempt from the raw
ages of this disease.
First:-What is tuberculosis? 1t
is a disease caused by the tubercle
bacillus and may affect almost any
part of the body. The one principal
tuberculosis of the lungs or con-
sumption.
Do you want it?
Do you want any of your family
to have it?
Do you want any of your friends
TO have it?
Did you ever see a case?
There is no disease that ever
comes into my Office that brings to
me such feelings of regret for the
patient as does an advanced case of
tuberculosis of the lungs.
May each one of you be spared
from seeing this disease enter your
household / hope it may be my
privilege to teach you how this dis
ease may be prevented and how
cured in the short time I shall speak
to you.
You hear of so and so being sick
and finally hear that they die of con-
sumption but have you any idea how
many died of it in comparison with
other diseases in our own Shiawas-
see county during the last ten years?
Perhaps a few figures will impress
upon you the greater necessity of ed
ucation along the line Of prevention
and cure of this disease.
Let's start with Corunna.
The five captains Of death in
Michigan are tuberculosis of lungs,
pneumonia, typhoid fever, diphtheria
and Group and cancer
During the last ten years 1898
1907 inclusive, Corunna alone had
sixteen deaths from consumption to
forty-two from the other four dis
eases, nearly one-third. Owosso had
eighty-six from consumption to ia
from the other four diseases, nearly
one-half. Shiawassee county had sos
from consumption, from the other
four. 667, nearly one-half. Michi-
San 27,794 from consumption, ST.
tS2 from the other four, about one
half. Are these figures appalling to
you? .Shiawassee county lost about
EN- men from all causes during the
Spanish American war and it has
been said that "war Is hell" Think
of it 30S from consumption in Shia-
wassee county in ten years, about
three times as many per year as from
the war but the war stopped. / hope
our tuberculosis war does not stop.
You will see from the statistics
that the lives lost uselessly arc worth
saving. / say uselessly for this is a
durable and preventable disease.
Can you help in spreading the little
information I may give you? 1t was
only in 1892, twenty-six years ago
that the cause of tuberculosis was
positively known. Kock, q German,
was the discoverer of the bacillus
which causes the disease.
You will see how I have empha-
sized the fact that this Is purely a
germ disease. 1t is not hereditary.
You can sleep with a patient, hav-
ing consumption. for years and new
err get 1t II the proper precautions
are taken although I would not adj