The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-05-20
TUBERCULOSIS
MUST GO IN IOWA
Many Agencies at Work Against
White Plague.
GENERAL AROUSEMENT EVIDENT
Agitation Started by State Department
Accomplishing Much in the Way
of Legislation and General
Sanitary Reforms.

Sanitary Reforms.
Des Moines, May 49,. There is q
general amusement throughout the
whole state of Iowa in the combat
against Tuberculosis. This is evident
from the large numbers of inquiries
requesting information regarding the
| prevention and treatment of tubercu-
losis constantly reaching this depart
ment. Not only so, but the observer
who travels throughout the state will
find that in almost every community
| the people are alert to the imminent
perils of tuberculosis and the measures
| which are necessary in it's restriction.
| A great many cities and towns have
passed anti-spitting ordinances and
placards are being placed which con-
| stantly call attention to the people
that it is dangerous to the public
health to spit on the sidewalks. in
| shops, factories, department stores,
halls or in public places of resort.
| The people know that the matter
| coughed up from the lungs of con-
| sumptives and expectorated in public
places dries, becomes desiccated and
blown about by currents of air. IT,
| Furthermore, that tuberculosis in
cattle is readily transmitted to the
human being is a fact well established
in the mind of the general public
throughout the state Danger from
milk infected with tuberculosis has
| aroused number of cities and COM
munities to take steps which require
the tuberculin test for dairy cows and
the clean milk supply as well. Water
loo is now doing this. Boards of ed
ucation are installing sanitary drink
ing fountains and removing the public
blinking cups from the schools. Com
munities are beginning to care for I'M
| fortunate persons who may be affect
ed with tuberculosis, establishing in
telligent measures not only for the
comfort of the patient, but to prevent
the spread of his disease.
Institutions of higher learning are
giving the most intimate cooperation
20 the work, which this department is
doing. The State University, the
State College of Agriculture ana Me-
chanic Arts, the State Teachers Col
lege, are all giving much attention to
this particular social disease, with the
result that the students leaving their
halls are well equipped to fight the
battle against preyentable disease.
The state department of health is
Just now insisting on the railroads
abandoning the public drinking cup,
and the proper sanitation of their cars
in transit within the state. The de-
sire of the department of health is
to bring these changes about with the
| least possible inconvenience to either
the railroads, or the travelling public.
| Time, of course, is required to effectu-
ate a change which is so general. The
movement, however, is of such vital
Importance in the prevention not only
of tuberculosis, but other infectious
diseases that it will meet the univer-
sal commentator of the people OF
the state.
The state veterinary department,
with its usual zeal an efficiency, is
busily engaged with the health of the
animals of the state, giving particu-
laar attention to the eradication of
tuberculosis among the cattle and
there appears to be a general demand
upon this department for the tubercu-
lin test and many herds are being
cleaned up. -" J! H'@
Many cities are also moving in the
direction of the control and relief of
tuberculosis Dubuque, Waterloo Ma
son City, Charles City Fort Dodge,
Muscatine, Fort Madison, and a num-
Der of others have been doing some
work along this line Sioux City has
a committee now at work in a general
movement for a public hospital. Day.
export and Scott county exceed any
other community perhaps, in the state
in the intelligent direction of their
movement for the control and relief
of tuberculosis. The city of Daven-
port, though it may not be known gen.
orally, has a large number of eleemosy-
nary and industrial institutions, while
the county supervisors have founded
public hospital for the treatment OF
medical and surgical diseases. Just at
present the city of Davenport and the
board of supervisors of the county are
planning for the establishment of a
retreat for the treatment and care OF
the tuberculous population of the coun-
| ty. 20
1 Other evidences of the general
arousement of the people might be
brought to view, but these will suffice
to show the great work which is
1 now being done throughout the state
on the repression of the great white
plague. s'a#rst