The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-01-16
|PULSORy EDUCATION OF
TUBERCULAR SCHOOL CHILDREN
THE COMPULSORY
In State Institutions Combining Educational ard Senatorial
Features
PAPER READ BY DR. F. NJ CUAN OF REDFELD, SOUTH DAKOTA
Before the South Dakota Medical Association and Published
at Their Request

So far as | am aware, this subject
has never been presented to the med
ical profession. / am little surprised
that this feature OF the subject, the con-
troll and the prevention OF the spread OF
tuberculosis, has not engrossed the
attention OF medical men, especially
in the Eastern states, where well-org-
anized efforts to prevent the spread OF
this desease have been in operation
for some time. But when we consider
the necessary expense required to sue
cessfully establish institutions OF this
nature, and the ignorance OF the pub
lie as to the necessity OF organized ef-
fort and OF plenty OF money to pay the
expenses of institutions and their
maintenance for the benefit OF those
unfortunate children who, early in
life, have contracted tuberculosis, and
who, il left to attend our public schools
without restrictions, are a constant
source OF danger OF injecting others,
where new cases are being added to
the great army OF tuberculosis victims
we can readily understand why this
feature OF the subject has not been
considered before this.
think we can agree that il this idea
could be carried out, and every child
OF school age be compelled to attend
institutions on the line / have sug-
gested, under the supervision OF con-
scientious physician, with full power
to enforce strict regulations, it would
be the best means OF educating the
public on matters pertaining to this
dreaded desease.
The success OF our efforts in pre-
venting, controlling, and treating tu-
berbulosis, depends on the education
OF the general public, and every meth
cd to educate them will aid us in our
efforts. Prior to the discovery OF the
bacilli OF tuberculosis by Koch, in
1888, tuberculosis was considered a
hereditary disease, and the idea OF its
being contagious was far remote from
the. established opinions OF the med
ical profession. In the light OF our
present knowledge OF the etiology of
tuberculosis, there is no more inter
esting chapter in the history OF med
icine than that pertaining to this dis
ease. Is it not little strange that
there was not some suspicion OF the
contagious character OF tuberculosis
prior to 1880, since we often found
whole families suffering from the dis
ease? Flint in his work on practice,
published in 1868, gives a history of
eight in one fanny dying from tuber-
! ulosis in five years.
Owing to our present knowledge OF
the etiology OF tuberculosis and the
improved methods OF handling these
cases, such high rate OF mortality is
now unheard of; but the frequency
with which whole families were exter-
minated by this disease and the hope
lessness OF remedial measures
prompted the laity to regard tubercular
victims doomed to a lingering death.
cannot better describe the prevail
ing opinion OF the public, OF the hope
lessness OF tubercular patients, exist
ing prior to 1890 than to quote from
the pen OF Americas great poet OF
nature, William Cullen Bryant, who
wrote:
Aye, thou art for the grave; thy glances shine
Too brightly to last long; another spring
Shall deck her for mans eyes, but not for thine,
Sealed in a sleep witch knows no waking.
The fields for thee have no medicinal leaf
And the vesed ore no mineral OF power;
Till the slow plague shall bring the fatal hour.
With Koch's valuable discovery the
traditions and opinions OF the profess
sion existing for centuries, underwent
revision so complete and radical
that only those OF our profession who
diligently persued the medical litera-
ture and kept pace with the evolution
OF the germ theory OF disease, could
find themselves in sympathy with it.
Many physicians were skeptical and
we're slow to adopt new ideas so oppo.
site to the prevailing opinion, conse-
quently the war on tuberculosis could
not be waged with vigor until the pro-
fession became OF one as to the cause,
and could understand that the disease
was not only preventable but durable.
The profession is now united as to
the cause OF tuberculosis and the
necessity OF united effort on the
part OF medical men, with the CO.
operation OF federal, state, and NUM-
cipal government, and the necessary
appropriation OF the peoples money
to establish sanatoria and pay the
expenses OF boards OF health. In
making war on this disease, the pub
lie must be educated as to the nature
OF tuberculosis and the methods Of
prevention and cure. They must be
satisfied that the money appropriated
for this purpose 10 economically ex-
pended, and that the results justify