The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-12-09

IN HAWAII
DR.. H0lImann's Recent Talk
to the Medical
Society.

tons OF the laity IN the direction 0
their own welfare.
What is more important to the laity
to the medical profession, to the gov
eminent, to the whole world, than I
devise some means, to limit the sprea
of the infective agent of tuberculosis
In this strife against the ravages o
tuberculosis, we must so limit the dan
ger of infection, that from being
i pandemic disease, it will become limit
ed in it's distribution and its mortalit.
viii be decreased as proportionately.
We learned from Flugge observa
tions. "that the smallest particle o.
mucus from pulmonary tubereulal
patient, contains bacilli of tuberculo
sis"
A pulmonary tubereular patient is
danger to everyone, as long as he ha:
| living germs in his sputum, under any
and all possible methods of hygiene and
disinfection.
In the act of speaking, sneezing OF
breathing, he gives out into the all
living Oh IuDeICuIOSiS,
Theobold Smith of Boston before
Massachusetts, Medical Society said:
That the coughing consumptive IS the
chief source of infection, and that most
eases of tuberculosis are due to inhala-
ton or aspiration Of the tubercle-
bacilli. -
Knowing the ever present danger
from contagious, or infectious case
of tuberculosis, let US review briefly
what means are at present used to
prevent the infection of healthy peo-
pie.
Most of the health boards compel
notification of eases of tuberculosis.
They disinfect premises on request.
They regulate the dairies and milk
supply.
Tuberculous cattle are destroyed.
The people are being educated about
the disease, and how to live hygien-
ically.
Railroads and street railways are
now disinfeeting their cars. Large Of
fee buildings are cleaned as antisep-
tieally as possible.
Many private charity organizations
are trying as their means allow, to
take care of the INDECENT poor, who
are afflicted with T. B. in sanitarium
or camps of some kind.
Fine luxuriant sanitariums are es-
tablished for those who can afford it.
Many states and other countries have
finely equipped public sanitariums.
Nevertheless under all these advan-
tages and the present means taken to
limit the disease, it is rapidly inereas-
ing in the world.
In these islands alone, there has oc.
Cured in the last six years 1891 deaths
from T. B.
Let me give you in comparison the
deaths from leprosy, disease which is
rigidly and rightly segregated
In the last six years deaths from all
known cases of leprosy 1853.
A little more than FIVE deaths of
T. B. to one of leprosy.
Very recently wanting to know how
many areas of local infection of tuber-
culosis there are, 1 obtained from a
number of physicians the number of
patients they were treating with T. B.
in a contagious form.
Trcm an estimate on these replies,
there are two areas Of Infection to ev-
cry physician.
This means there are at present, so
many scattered areas of infection,
which all present rules, regulation and
supervision cannot remove.
Hence I say, what shall we as medi-
cal men, do to prevent the infection Of
tuberculosis.
All the governments Of the world are
becoming aware that it is TO their best
interest to have the best preventative
sanitary measures, not only for the
heaIthfulness of It's citizens, but as
sound economic measure.
What is more needed than measures
against infection Of tuberculosis?
As Goldsmith says, Surely the best
way is to meet the enemy in the field,
and not wait till he plumbers US in our
very bed chamber. "
Preventative Measures.
First. Prevent the tubercular cases
from entering the country as citizens,
or prospective citizens.
Yet this should not exclude those who
seek climate change TO be cured and
viii not become charges n anyway as
l viii explain later on.
Second. After a case has been re-
ported 10 the Board of Health II should
be treated as follows:
All eases Of tuberculosis Of an infec
tious or contagious type, should be
by law, to reside in well
equipped, carefully governed sanitarium
until pronounced cured.
IT need not necessarily be a govern
ment institution, so long as it followed
strictly ethical lines, and was under
general supervision or inspection Of a
state board.
For the poor, and It is among our poor
that tuberculosis works most Of its raw
ages. I would have them all treated IN
government sanitariums. situated under
the best climatic conditions possible. |
for their cure.
Thus placed. they cease TO be a local |
area Of ever. present Infection.
The new environment. proper food |
and medication VIII quickly act on the
ncipient cases and they VIII quickly /
recover.
The rich. and those who are able TO |
pay. should also be compelled TO 60 |
10 sanitarium and remain their until
cured
The rich a. Wen as the poor. should !
be compelled to remain where they
ava the least dangerous 10 the puhTie