Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-08
Wornen's Clubs

club listened to a symposium on THE
Past and Present of tuberculosis" yes
terday from three prominent Los An
geles physicians-Dr. F. M. Pottenger,
DR.. George H. Kress and DR.. Norman
Bridge. The announcement that these
men were to speak had brought out an
unusually large audience and the au-
ditorium was filed with interested
listeners.
DIR. F. NJ. Pottenger, the first speaker
said in part:
Tuberculosis is not hereditary, but
is always the result OF transmission
after birth. This being the nature of
the disease and the cause of 1t and the
measures which contribute to it's spread
being known, let us consider how by
overcoming them they can be pre-
vented.
THE disease was considered hopeless
prior to the discovery of the tubercle
bacilli in 1881, and 1t is since that date
that all those agencies that contribute
hope have been discovered.
I'm spite of the fact that tubercu-
losis is a preventable disease, the world
is giving up annually 100000 people
as a sacrifice-the United States pay
ing tribute with 150 900, California 1000,
Los Angeles about 800.
"Those measures that have been
found to be of most Importance In pre-
plague are, first, care and personal
cleanliness on the part of the individ-
ual suffering from the disease, chief of
which is the careful destruction of the
sputum.
"One of the most important factors
in the prevention of tuberculosis Is
raising the plane of living, especially
among the poor-the doing away with
overcrowded tenements, building better
homes, more sunlight and more VEN
tilation. The acquiring of better habits
In regard to excuses of various kinds,
such as alcoholism, is important. All
this will make for the salvation of the
community, especially members of the
poorer class, as it will increase their
natural resistance to disease and make
them less prone to infection if the
bacillus is taken into the system.
That such measures are practical is
shown by the workings of a series of
workingmen's acts passed in England.
whereby better homes are provided fc~
the people and where the plane of liv-
ing was so improved that mortality
from tuberculosis has decreased about
so per cent during the last twenty
years. In New York city and in Boston,
where special measures looking toward
better tenement conditions have OBJ
tanned, and where systematic instruc-
ton for patients suffering from CON
sumption have been given, mortality
has decreased 40 per cent in twenty
five years. In Germany. where the
problem is being handled more scien-
tifically, probably, than elsewhere,
both from the standpoint of habit and
improved conditions of living among
the people, some of those most optim-
istic believe they can look forward to
the practical disappearance of this
dread disease within the next few de-
cades.
"In order to accomplishe these re-
suits we'll directed campaigns of edu-
cation must be carried on, and this can
best be done by special organizations
looking toward this end. Such organi-
cations are today found in every civil
lied country and the International AS
ISOLATION for the Prevention of Tuber-
culosis has representative organiza-
lions with every civilized nation in the
world.
I'm the United States we have a ma
tional organization that is now about
four years old and which is directing
the movement for the prevention of
this disease throughout our country.
In 1892 was founded the Southern Cali
fornia Anti-Tuberculosis league. the
sixth of it's kind in the United States.
This league has distributed more than
100, 900 leaflets dealing with the preven-
ton of tuberculosis, has furnished in
Vulnerable speakers for various organi-
cations and has established a helping
station at 1877 Buena Vista street in Los
Angeles, where the poor are treated
free and instructed how to prevent the
spread of infection among their assoc
ciates. Recently this organization en-
tered upon a broader field and was
merged into the California Society for
the Study and Prevention of Tubercu-
losis. 1t deserves the cordial support
of every good citizen. because the mem
bers are endeavoring to safeguard the
health of the people at large.