Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-29
CONSUMPTION COSTS
A BILLION A YEAR
Prof. Fishers Figures for
U. S. StartIe Congress.
MANY SECTIONS IN SESSION
Prof. Chalmette Declares Swallowing
Is Chief Route of Infection.
PROMINENT FOREIGN SPEAKERS
All Tendency to Disease Hereditary,
Says Surgeon General Simon Won
Unterburger of Russia.
MANY SECTIONS IN SESSION
PROMINENT FOREIGN SPEAKERS


The Secretary of State has issued
invitations to all the official delegates
from foreign countries to the inter-
national congress on tuberculosis, now
in session in this city to attend a din
ner at the New Willard Thursday
evening.
1t will be a state function given un-
der the auspices of the government.
Gen. Sternberg of the local committee
OF arrangements was at the State De-
partmenr today in conference with
Mr.. McCathran Of the chief clerks
office in regard to the details of the
affair.
About go invitations have been is
sued The list includes all members
of the cabinet. the United States Su-
IRENE Court, all the foreign Official
delegates, the officers of the congress
and the following named honorary
members:
John d. Rockefeller, Andrew Car
negie, II. c. F'rick. H. L. Higginson,
Henry Phipps, George Blumenthal,
William p. Henszey, Edward s. Hark-
ness and Martin Maloney, all of whom
have contributed literally to the cause.
Proceedings of Congress Today.
Consumption costs the citizens Of the
United States over one billion dollars a
year i'll cold cash.
This sensational statement was made
by Prof Irving Fisher of Yale. who spoke
TO-DAY in the section of the tuberculosis
congress devoted to industrial and eco
Ec.n,c aspects of consumption.
Tie disease picks out the young men
and young women at the very beginning
Of the time when they arc able to earn
money. From tnen on, the lowest cost
OF doctors hills. A,edicines. nurses fees
and loss of earnings before death occurs
81. 40 IN each case. while the earning
power which might have been saved
brings the total cost to 5000.
Multiply THIS BY 13S,OOO deaths a year.
IT brings the total up to more than a
b.llion dollars.
HAT the cost falls on the consumptive.
The other half falls on his friends
The second days session Of the inter-
national congress on tuberculosis opened
at 3:3O o'clock this morning. The entire
morning was devoted to the work of
section 1, with DIR. William H. Welch
of Baltimore presiding.
Participating in the discussions. which
Geair principally with such phases of
tuberculosis as channels Of infection, la
tent infection. predisposition and heredity.
were many distinguished medical SCI
entlstS from abroad.
Route Of Injection.
In section i. in which it is expected
the most important scientific discussions
and discoveries will develop. there was
Il discussion Of the greatest Importance
to the congress. this morning when Prof.
Calmette of Lille. France, director of
the Pasteur Institute of France, advanced
the theory that the tuberculosis bacilli
are taken into the system by swallowing
heretofore inhalation has been consid-
cred the principal method Of contracting
consumption. Infection by inhalation was
warmly defended by Prof. Tendeioo of
Holland.
Surgeon General Simon Won Unterberger
OF St Petersburg. Russia. honorary physi-
clan at the czars court. contributed his
views on "Heredity in tuberculosis
.'AIl tendency to disease that appears
in any individual asserted DIR. Unter-
berger, rs 10 be regarded as hereditary
whether or not the corresponding disease
can be traced back each time to parents
or ancestors. The tendency to consump-
ton is inherited and may be developed
by various agencies.
Numerous autopsies show that every
man over thirty years OF age has ole
facts show how comparatively easily the
human organism can overcome the tuber
Gle bacilli and give the indication fol
our treatment. the strengthening of the
organism by hygienic and dietetic means
I'VE must seek to destroy the tubercit
bacillus. But our chief endeavors mus,
he directed toward Strengthening the
body"
DR.. Bartel Considers Route.
DIR. Julius Bartel of Vienna, discussing
the routes Of Infection said:
The infection from pharnyx. stomach
and intestines Is for more frequent, par.
ticularly during early life, than has
generally been considered. or less i'm
portance, as compared with general hy
Sienlc regulations, is the constant diSput,
concerning the more frequent mode of in
fection. whether due to swallowing or In
halation, inasmuch 1t Is difficult I,
Judge the relative effects Of deglutitiol
and aspiration"
Dr. Carl Hart of Berlin, in his view:
on the subject of predisposition Of the
apices of the lungs to pulmonary tuber
culosis. declared aside from infection th'
cause of the pulmonary tuberculosis iT
youthful individuals is to be sought in ar
individual predspOsitiOn, due to anatomit
and functional disturbance Of the norma
conditions around the superior aperture
Of the thorax.
The final outcome Of this battle be
tween the tubercle baccilli and the tissue.
depends on the degree Of the functiOna
disturbance, he declared.
Into Lungs Through Air.
nr. Samul Bernheim of Paris, quoting
from clinical facts and experiments OIL
animals drew the conclusion that tuber
culosis is chiefly transmitted by aeria
germs and by way of respiratory tract
He further stated that the skin ma!
serve as a channel of entrance to tuber
culosis in conditions particularly favor
able TO contamination. although this coult
not be considered a factor of first i'm
poYtance-
After a recess, sections I and 2 of th
congress held joint session this after
noon, conveninR at 80 O'Clock. Th
principal subjects discussed were Con
! junctival and Cutaneous Tuberculin Re
actions" "Opsonic Index and Serum
Diagnosis
Two Washington scientists were Listens
to with interest at meetings of the sec
Continued on Eleventh PageJ