The Glenwood post., 1908-04-11
CONGRESS ON TUBERCULOSIS.
Great International Gathering to Be
Held at Washington Next Fall.

The meeting in Washington next
September of the Fifth International
Congress on Tuberculosis is an event
of more than passing interest to this
country.
Very gradually science has extended
its sway over the ailments that ves
the human body until even the worst
OF the contagious diseases have been
brought under control, while others
like the once-dreaded smallpox, has
been all hut eradicated. Tuberculosis
is the last of the infectious diseases in
which it las been been possible to dem
onstrate cure as possible. No specific
has been found, but the application of
the healing virtues of rest, good food,
and life in the open air day and night
in suitable climate, have Proven eff
fective in restoring to health many per
sons for whom formerly there would
have been considered no possible hope
of a cure. The development of the
sanatorium idea is a logical outcome,
and this was followed by the forma-
| tion of a national association for the
study and prevention OF tuberculosis; ;
/ lastly there have been formed state or
| ganizations, subsidiary to the national
! and International associations, all
| working toward the one end, the pre-
vention and control of tuberculosis
] One hundred and fifty thousand per-
| sons die each year in the United States
| from this disease alone; an average of
| 400 each day. If we were in the midst
/ of war that sacrificed that many men
| in battle there would go up from all
over this land a protest to terminate
| the fearful carnage so emphatic that
! those in authority could not do other
wise than heed. But, we nave grown
accustomed to this eXacting toll of life
and its train of attendant human mis-
! cry, even when its victims fall at the
age of their greatest usefulness to the
state, when their earning power is the
] highest. when they mean the most to
their family and to the community at
| large, and when they have the most
to live for themselves.
The withdrawal from the ranks of
industry by invalidism and death due
to tuberculosis represents money loss
to the United States of over $4OO,OOO.-
600 per annum; an approximate loss of
child in the nation. or $25 per annum
for the average family. From an eco
nomic point of view we educate chill
dren at public expense that they may
be of greater value to the state when
they attain to manhood and woman.
hood. and may be 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
perfecting this system of education, we
neglect to take the precautions that
Will insure an adequate return for this
time and money spent, by our neglect
of protective sanitary and hysienic
measures, the ignorance and careless
ness that makes easy the contracting
of an insidious. infectious disease like
tuberculosis. A business proposition
permitting such an annual waste either
in human life or money would not be
tolerated for a day, and prompt, effect
i've steps would be taken to correct the
condition that permitted such waste
fulnes3. The state is all of us. and the
oretically we strive to secure the great
est good TO the greatest number. This
needless loss of life and economic
WASTE Is DltNtItlDlc, phI lIt pI'N'lAloh
is not the work of any one individual
nor even ali association composed of a
few: it is the work of the state, of the
nation. Universal knowledge of the
existence of these conditions. of the alb
solute fact that three-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 n process Of destruction taking
place all the time; the tissue broken
down by the action of the tubercle ba-
cilli finds its 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 and float
in the air, subject to gusts Of wind and
the disturbance created by traffic,
ready TO De lnnaled Dy tne paSSeTDy.
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 but poorly en-
forced. If at all. Due to the indiffer
ence of officials and ignorance of the
infectious 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-