The Springfield herald., 1908-12-18
TUBERCULOSIS CONGRESS.
Some Lessons from the Recent Inter
national Gathering at Washington.


national Gathering at Washington.
The optimism displayed by those SER
wants who convened In Washington
during September and October. regard
ing the control, II not annihilation, of
tuberculosis, was one of the most en-
couraging signs of the times. Preven-
tion was the keynote of the meeting.
The world Is only waking up to what
can be accomplished in this way. 1t is
now well known that the tubercle
bacillus is necessary to the develop
ment of the disease. Persons afflicted
with the disease throw these germs off
In large numbers with the sputum and
to certain extent from the bowels. II
al these were killed by disinfection or
burning and our dairy herds were
cleared of infected cows-which can
easily be done with the tuberculin test
the world would soon be rid of the
disease. But as 1t is hardly possible
that they will all be destroyed in this
way, we have to look to measures de-
stfned to increase the resistance of the
individual as well. The exposure of
the germ-laden material to fresh air
and sunlight soon impairs its vitality
to such degree that 1t is much more
easily resisted-in fact, 1t has been
shown that two or three hours expos
ure to direct sunlight renders 1t prac-
tically harmless.
The resistance of the individual is
increased by the inhalation of an abun-
dance of fresh air. In the living room
or sleeping room, there should be
enough circulation of air, that the
breath of air that Is exhaled should be
carried away from the individuals nos
trils before the succeeding inspira-
tion takes place. so that there is as lit
tie rebreathing Of air as possible, be-
cause 1t is well known that the germs
cannot stand oxygen and for the
further reason that the oxygen is q
stimulant to the lung tissue and ena-
bles 1t to resist the onslaught of any
chance germ which may have found
lodgment; as evidence of this fact, 1t
is almost always the parts of the lungs
that are most difficult for air to reach
that are first affected when the dan
ger sets in.
A considerable portion, at least, Of
the disease is caused by the germs be-
ing taken with food and drink. The
principal source of infection by this
route, is milk which has come from a
dairy herd, some one or more Of which
are tuberculous Flies and other YER
min sometimes feed upon germ laden
sputum or other material and then
carry 1t to food which is left unpro-
tected. Food is also infected by such
sputum drying and being blown about
with the dust Heredity plays very
small part, although 1t is recognized
that person born of family In which
there is strong hereditary tendency is
a little more likely to contract the dis
ease than others would be. person
infected with tuberculosis should never
spit in the open, but always into some
receptacle, in order that the germs
may be destroyed instead of being set
at large to infect some one else. BY
simple measures like these, tuberculo-
sis has in less than ten years lost its
place Of distinction as Captain of the
Men of DEATH" destroying one-sev-
enth of the human family. Prussia has
reduced her death rate from this
cause. 40 per cent. in ten years, New
York so per cent. in fifteen years,
Boston 55 per cent. in twenty years.
The reduction during the three years
that have elapsed since the last meet
ing of the Congress has been twice as
rapid as any previous period of the
same length Of time.
The opinion was expressed by DR..
Lawrence F. Flick. director of the
Phipps Institute in Philadelphia, that If
the crusade was continued with the
vigor which seems likely. tuberculosis
will be as well controlled in fifteen
years as smallpox is now.