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


The optimism displayed by those ser.
wants who convened in Washington
during September and October. regard.
ing the control If not annhilatlon. Of
tuberculosis, was one of the most en-.
couraging signs of the times. Proven
ton was the keynote Of the meeting.
The world is only waking up to what
can be accomplished in this way. II Is
now well known that the tuberCle
bacillus is necessary to the develop
mcHt 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 iuberCulin test
the world would soon be rid of the
disease. But as II is hardly possible
that they will an be destroyed In this
way, We have to look to measures de.
stined 10 increase the resistance OF the
individual as well. The exposure Of
the germ-laden material 10 fresh air
and sunlight soon impairs It's vitality
TO such a degree that It Is much more
easily resisted-in fact. It 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 nXhalod should be-
carried away from the individuals nos.
trils before the succeeding inspirH-
ton takes place, so that there is as H.
tie robroathing ~ afr as possible, be-
cause it is well known that the germs
cannot stand Oxygen and for the
further reason that the oxygen Is a
stlmulani to the lung tissue and cna.
hlos % 10 resist the onslaught Of nnv
chance germ which may have found
lodEmcnt, as evidence Of this fact, q
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, Al least. ~
the disease is caused by the germs be-
Ing taken with food aud drink The
principal source of infection by this
route. is milk which has come from "a
dairy herd. some ono or more Of which
are ubrrcuIuUs Files and other y'r
min sometimes feed upon germ laden
spuium or other material and then
carry u 10 food which o. left unprU.
tcctud Food IH also Infected by mrL
Huutum DRYING mu being blown about
with the dust HDrolity plays very
small part rltbuuah II les recognized
that person born ui ipmily 10 which
there ls strong hereditary tendency
little more likely rp contract tho dis.
pusr than others would be- a person
Infected with tuberculosis should newer
spit in the open. bui always into som"
rrccptaclc. lu order that the germs
may be destroyed instead Of being r't
at large 10 infect some one else. Nv
simple measures like these, tubcrcuI1-
Fis has In less than ten years lost ~
piacp NJ distinction ns Captain oi tho
Men Of Death" destroying 0uoR0v
rnth of the human family Prussia hos
reduced her death rate from ih.s
cause. 90 per cent In ton years, New
York 90 per cent In fifteen years,
boston % 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 me-
rapid ~ any previous period of Tho
same length Of time.
The opinion was expressed by nr
lawrence y. Flick. director ~ tho
Whips Institute In Philadelphia, that N
'he crusade was continued with IN"
Niror which seems iik"ly tuberculosis
will be- as we'll controlled In fifteen
grafH nH smallpox ~ now.