The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-02-22
ORGAN |zAT|0N TO
FIGHT RAVAGEs OF
CONSUMPTION
STATE SOCIETY FORMED WILL
BE PART OF NATIONAL ASSo-
CITATION - DISEASE DURABLE,
DECLARES DIR. v. C. VAUGHN.

Organization to combat the spread
OF consumption was vigorously taken
up In a meeting in the Hotel Pontchar-
train Friday afternoon at which state
association was formed.
That this terrible disease. which
kills one-seventh of our people, is pre-
ventable and its mortality unneces-
sary, was the principal point made by
the speakers. With action half as
vigorous as is taken to fight the raw
ages of pests which attack cattle or
trees, the plague might be driven
away completely. 1t was asserted.
This Michigan organization Is to be
q part OF great national association,
working toward education OF the pub
nc TO the taking OF measures that VIII
lessen the spread OF the disease and
gradually exterminate 1t. That 1t Is
cheaper to take care of all infected
persons until cured and to do away
with conditions allowing contagton
will be the main argument.
Secretary F.. W. Snumwa. of the
state health board, gave the annual
number OF new cases as $500, and OF
deaths each year as 2.400. He called
attention to the lack OF proper hos
pitfalls and facilities for curing the dis
ease.
''The real danger Is from the infect
ed person who is unciean,' said DIR.
George Dock. OF Ann Arbor, adding
that infection comes not from the
breath but from the bacteria contain
ed in the sputum. Our knowledge Of
the treatment is often beyond our abil-
ity to apply it," he said.
DR. Victor G. Vaughn, u. of NJ. de-
clared that II he were to make known
that cattle disease was killing three
thousand blooded cattle each year IL
the state, money would be raised at
once and measures taken to stamp II
out. Not so with human beings in dan
ger.
He pointed out how leprosy had
been stamped out in Europe and de-
clared tuberculosis to be one of the
most durable OF diseases il taken in
time. The popular fallacy that a con-
sumptive must be made an outcast, he
decried, saying that mere precaution-
airy measures were sufficient.
Consumption is disease OF civil
ization and has spread with it, said
DR.. Vaughn. He added that doctors
alone cannot combat II. The idea that
the disease is hereditary was also COM
batted by him, his opinion being that
merely a ,predisposition toward the
disease might be inherited.
The guilty splitter" was the tar
get of DIR. Guy l.. Kiefer's remarks.
He spoke of the 500 deaths per year
from tuberculosis in Detroit, the city
being exceptionally bad In this re-
spect. Physicians have not acted with
the health board In the matter, he as-
serted. refusing to register cases OF
tuberculosis and thus preventing prop
err distinctive measures when con-
sumptives move from one house TO
another. When the national tubercu-
losis congress was held here only 90
Detroit physicians out Of 500 attended.
He proposed a school to teach pa
tfents how to care for themselves.
such an institution being capable of
turning out 200 graduates year. Puo-
lie school physical examination was
also recommended
F. b. Leland, president OF the state
sanatorium In Howell; Mrs. Caroline
b. Crane. of Kalamazoo. and Dr. A. s.
Martin, University of Michigan also
spoke. DR.. G. G.. jennings presided
at the meeting. A committee was ap.
pointed to choose 80 directors OF the
state organization, which will choose
the permanent officers, and to arrange
for another meeting, In Grand Rapids,
soon.