Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-08

never have left their eastern homes,
making the journey when all nope is
past and passing away within snort
time of their arrival. out OF total Oh
some 500 consumptives who died here
In 1904, 216 died within a year of their
coming, and of this number more than
sixty died within three months of reach
ing our city. In this connection 1t is
interesting to note that in spite OF the
heavy handicap placed upon our state
by this already doomed multitude,
as state our mortality rates from all
causes are comparatively low, thus
proving that our beneficent climate
makes for long life for those of us who
have good health.
The above figures, the speaker said,
are not pleasant to contemplate, but
| they stand for facts that must be faced
and for conditions that must be RENE
died. Tuberculosis is preventable! Tu-
berculosis is durable! Let us glance
for a moment at the factors which
make up the predisposiag causes.
Roughly grouped, these causes are
hereditary weakness, prior diseases, VI
cious habits, overwork, overcrowding
and undertaking, accessory causes IN
! timately interviewer with the first
| cause tubercular infection. This brings
us to the exciting cause of tuberculosis,
the bacillus, which is low form of
plant life, and which virtually lives on
the human body. One consumptiVe in
the advanced stages can expectorate In
twenty-four hours not only millions,
but several billions Of these germs.
You can easily understand that If this
sputum is expectorated day after day
into the same room how dangerous that
room may become for subsequent occu-
pants These germs are waited from
place to place in the air, and If taken
into the system when one is below par
physically, then tuberculosis Is con-
tracted. We have in light and air some
of our most potent germicidal agents,
and if we could bring them into play
we would be able to kill or render IN
nocuous most of the bacilli of tuber-
culosis.
But far better than anti-spitting ordi-
nances would be the establishment of
what is known as the system of COM
pulsory registration and fumigation.
The method is in use in New York city
and has played big part in the reduc-
ton of the tuberculosis mortality in
that city. When enforced this ordi-
nance requires that the name and ad-
dress of every tubercular patient shall
be registered with the health officer,
Just as is done with diphtheria and
scarlet fever, only placard is never
placed on the patients house, nor do
the health officials make visit If the
attending physician affirms that the
patient is destroying the sputum. But
when patients are ignorant or careless
or vicious, then the health department
steps in and enforces the law, thus
rendering them not dangerous to their
neighbors; and when such patient
vacates a house the health officer must
be notified, so that the house may be
fumigated.
If to this we could add proper modes
of living and eating, with emphasis on
the Importance of pure air and the
simple life, much progress would pc
made.
For the cure of tuberculosis was rec
commended pure air and lots of it, day
time and night time, in fact, all the
time, and Southern California air in
particular, and also nutritious food
the kind that will build up the body.
Three meals a day, with lunches in be-
tween are to be supplemented by
proper amount of rest and recreation.
and the beauty of it all is that these
may all be obtained at home for most
of us, only institutions offer advantages
to many in that proper mode of life
is rendered more easy there.
The speaker called attention to the
local agencies through which the pro-
fession are waGing the fight The Los
Angeles hospital, the College SETTLE
ment on Buena Vista and CASTELAR,
streets. through which the city sends
out visiting nurses to the poor, and the
Los Angeles Helping station, MAIN
tanned by the California association for
the study and prevention of tubercu-
losis. The Barlow sanitarium, located
in Chavez ravine, was the last on the
list.
In closing the speaker asked the CO.
operation of IT, members of the Friday
Morning club in the fight against the
great white plague.