Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-09
TUBERCULOSIS LEAGUE
Met in City Court Room Last
 Evening For Deliberation.

The members already enrolled in
 the Waterbury Anti Tuberculosis
 league met last evening in the city
 court room and listened to an inter-
 esting address by John F. Gunshan-
 non of Hartford, a member of the
 state tuberculosis commission, which
 was in this city yesterday. After Mir
 Gunshannon had finished his address,
 the chairman of the meeting, John
 Moriarty, informed those present that
 MT Gunshannon was willing to ans
 wer any questions asked him, prOvid-
 ing, of course, he was able to do SO.
 In this way the members were able to
 receive much information on the tuber-
 culosis question from Mir Gunshannon.
 MT Gunshannon stated there was
 no need of delaying, the league should
 start to work immediately. It is nec-
 essary for the members to perfect an
 organization and then raise money to
 carry on the movement to suppress the
 ''white plague" in this city. In Hart
 ford and Meriden, where anti-tuber-
 culosis leagues have already done eff
 fective work, money was raised by
 making a small assessment on every
 workman ill the city. The factories
 were thoroughly canvassed and every
 body contributed his mite. The same
 will undoubtedly be done iii this city, and it is expected that more than $5,- 00O will be realized. How to spend the money is q question puzzling to some. Twill you take the patients and send them to a sanatorium?" asked one. Tt costs more than $250 to take the treatment in any sanatOrium in the vicinity, and we could only treat q few with $5,0OO," continued the man, apparently lost in the sanatorium idea. Tt matters not to me how you spend the money" declared MT Gunshan- non, but let me tell you a couple of nurses will do the work of q dozen hospitals. Get your organization go- ing, procure your nurses, set them to work in the homes, and you will see results in short time."
 Mir Gunshannon is of the opinion of the foremost thinkers of the day, holding that the spread of the disease can be greatly lessened If the suptum of those afflicted with the malady is destroyed. "Once educate your peo- pie so they will not expectorate on the streets and you will be surprised ! at the decrease in the death rate for tuberculosis"
 Some one asked him how it was l contracted, and what would cure it. l That's what our commission is try ing to find out he replied. Tt has | been puzzling the doctors for ages. | Once within the system, 1t is hard to 1 rout What we want to do is not so much cure those who have the dis case, but prevent others from getting it. Many often wonder why the children in good homes take the dis ease. But they are just as likely to get it as anyone else. It plays no fovorites. In the residential section of Hartford where I live, seven sue cumbed to the disease last year while in section of the slums of equal size only two were. victims of the white plague At the present age it seems to hit the young as we'll as the old
 He stated that the commission in Hartford is thinking of placarding all houses where two or three persons had died from the disease. Tn this way we will keep children and ten ants from the building until the owner has given it thorough cleaning. Cleanliness is one of the things which we think will help prevent the spread"
 He spoke briefly about the theory that drink was or was not to be avoided by tubercular patients. AL though the majority of the doctors tell you to shun alcoholic beverages. he new of senator who has been simply living on booze. The doctors gave him up, told him he had only one lung and he would not live six months. That was few years ago, but the man is very much alive yet. At this point someone asked him if he was member of the last legislature. No. did not even belong to the third house." he replied. Senator Chase, who was present. enjoyed a laugh. When Mir Gunshannon had finished questions the committee Toted to hold n mass meeting on Sun