The daily sentinel., 1908-02-04

= supervising surgeon of the =
= United States navy, stationed at 4
= FIT. Lyon, Colo, where the gov =
= ernment is establishing a $780, =
900 naval hospital, discussed =
= that project and the disease of :
= consumption in most inter- =
= esting manner. =
,f"Modern battleships breed con-
sumption" he said. There is an
Increase in the number of tubercular
cases in the United States navy, Mot
of the men and officers in the service
are compelled to stay below deck.
The prevention and cure of tuber-
culosis Is now being given much con-
sideration by the United States goy-
eminent.
Every person has consumption at
one time or another. In all bodies
examined after death there are traces
of tuberculosis. In most cases ma
ture builds barrier around the In
fected part and prevents the disease
spreading. The part of the lung
which has been diseased Is never of
any use again.
iNa Na"Consumption can be and Is being
cured. We have several men ut Fort
Lyon who are about ready to return
to duty. the germs having been. ex-
terminated. What we try to do is to
get hold of the men while the dis
ease is still in the early stages. Some
times the men and officers suffer
with tuberculosis of the lungs; some
times of the knee or other parts of
body.
Physicians at Fort Lyon are
working on the theory that patients
should have no employment at ALL
They are given every opportunity to
enjoy themselves and have no cares
whatever A hall room, with q stagp.
VIII be built so the men can enenee
in. amateur theatricals. A bowling
billiard and pool room will be fitted
up. The men are permitted to hunt
and go horseback riding or do what
ever they please.
There are two rules which we en-
force vigorously. One is that the
men shall not drink. and the other
Is that they shall expectorate in tin
boxes which they carry in their
pockets. II a man drinks he is dis
charged from the sanitarium and can
never return again. The sputum is
incinerated. SO that the germs will
not spread
iWchty-ulue teuts are now IN use
at Fort Lyon. AS soon as more
be abandoned. There are seventy
patients at the fort. A few OF these
are lieutenants. the remainder being
without epaulets.
'Other nations are having the
same difficulties as the United
States" says DR.. Bucher. England
has been in the warship business
longer than we have and perhaps
learned few things that we do not
know. She has discovered that It is
not a good thing to keep her boats In
the tropics any longer than neces-
sary.
"A few years ago I left Manila in
war vessel which knocked out a
dozen men in the furnace room. The
heat there was $50 degrees After
working for while at the furnaces
the men rush to the ventilators and
breathe cold air. Iron can't stand
this, and 1t Is no wonler that the
men break down. But you couldn't
keep them away from the cold air
with a gun"
Fort Lyon Is seven miles from Las
Animas. in the Arkansas valley.
When the work of the government is
completed a forest will surround
Fort Lyon. DR.. Bucher says that 75.-
900 trees will be planted. DR.. p. NJ
Rixey, surgeon geenral of the navy.
says that he will make Fort Lyon
the finest tubercular sanitarium In
the world. 1t has the most complete
laboratory this side of New York.
DR.. C. T. Hibbett, medical inspec-
tor. is in charge of Fort Lyon. Un-
der his direction the old buildings at
the post have been rehabilitated and
are now being used as hospitals and
store houses. A farm and dairy will
be established. A power plant to
cost $4,000 will be installed. Three
artesian wells have been bored. The
government is building several small
hospital buildings. rather than one
large structure.