The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-15
How Los Angeles Proposes to
Handle tuberculosis.
AN ACTUAL MENACE THERE
Education Enlightenment and Fixed
Rules for Prevention, the Cardinal
Points Of Advantage-An Interest
ing Expose Of the Evil.

The searchlight OF science wa
thrown on the subject of the grea
white plague lately at the Frida,
Morning Club, by three prominen
physicians, Drs. Norman Bridge, F
NJ. Pottenger and George H. Kress
Information was given for the pre-
yention of tuberculosis by simple
means. Here are few startling fact:
bruoght out in the course OF the
morning:
Five million people give up Their
lives yearly to preventable disease
10000 in the United States, 40oO in
California, and 800 in Los Angeles
Tuberculosis has caused more suffer
ing and poverty than all the wars and
all the plaques that have ever been
, vet the people are not aroused, not
doing the simple things necessary to
prevent it, principally through lack OF
general knowledge of the, disease.
"If means OF prevention were real
" put into practice" declared DIR.
Pottenger, Il believe that tuberculo-
sis would be as scarce as smallpox
in fifty years
The remedies suggested are edu-
cation, enlightenment, the widespread
dissemination OF the means OF pre-
vention.
DR.. Pottenger gave the opening
talk. 81 am glad" he said, that the
women are taking up this work. be-
caues the women are doing things.
They are interesting themselves IN
everything that has to do with the
welfare of the home and the lessen
ing Of human suffering"
He referred to their efforts in get
ting public grounds and parks
and declared that he rejoiced when
he learned last year that the subject
of tuberculosis had been taken up
as a special department by the Cen
eral Federation of Women's Clubs.
'The disease" he said, attacks the
poor and the wealthy alike, but it is
mainly disease Of the poor. because
Of insufficient nourishment, crowded
conditions and unsanitary surround
ings. There is IA times as much
tuberculosis around the Battery in
New York than is found in the dis
trict of Central Park"
Tuberculosis, he explained, is a
communicable disease and DR.. Kress
showed later that single person may
give out billion bacilli in day in
expectoration and finer exhalations.
DR.. Bridge explained that all ex-
2 1pectorations should be destroyed, that
in violent fits of coughing the patient
should hold a cloth in front of his
mouth, and that the cloth should be
destroyed. Carpets and rugs, DIR.
Bridge denounced as physiological
denominations, and the wearing of a
mustache or beard by tubercular
patient an unforgivable crime. Sun
light and air were found to be better
disinfectants than chemicals.
The important thing in a case OF
tuberculosis, in the estimation Of DR..
Pottenger, is that the patient should
know his condition, that he may take
the proper precautions to guard
against the infection of his friends.
With these precautions, he declared,
tubercular person could be per-
fectly safe companion, with no need
of his being Stunned and becoming
an outcast. DR.. Pottenger also stated
that tuberculosis is not hereditary. 1t
is in every case transmitted by care
lessness after birth, and is also a
durable disease.
He described the helping station
that has been in existence for l8
months in Los Angeles for the benefit
of tuberculosis victims. The poor are
treated in free clinic, and given in
formation for protecting those with
whom they come in contact. Over
200 have been treated at this station
during the past l8 months.
"This work." said the physician
"has cost a little over $500, and that
is all that this city has been willing
to give to protect itself against thi:
insidious foe"
He spoke of the international con
gress of associations for the preven
ton and cure of tuberculosis, to bt
held in Washington next September
and expressed the hope that the ex
hibits there might be brought to Los
Angeles as an object lesson.
Dr.. Kress showed stereopticor
views revealing miserable housing
conditions and other causes that pre-
d