Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-01-28
TUBERCULOSIS MEET
Convention Held In Charlotte
Organize Tor determination
PLAN 4 VIGOROUS WARFARE
Assembled 10 Make War on the Great
fWhite Plague,-Tuberculosis, its
Yrevalense, Costumes and Fatality
Remedies Pointed Out.

& NAV -
the Selwyn Hotel in Charlotte, the
North Carolina Convention for the
Prevention Of tuberculosis, ASSEMBLE
ed. After the preliminaries were
done ia due form the doctors pIung.
ed into their subject with great earn
estness and zeal. Space will per-
init of only the gist Of the arguments
in favor Of a vigorous warfare
against the "great white plauge."
Dr.. J. r. Monroe said tuberculosis
is the greatest enemy Of modern peo-
ple-and that it must be exterminated.
He held out hope to the afflicted that
cures are possible
DR.. Harper said that it IS esti-
mated that tuberculosis fatalities ex-
coed those Of war, famine, plague
cholrea, yellow fever and smallpox,
all combined.
It was set forth that even. in our
own nation 55S people die. daily Of
the disease and that North Carolina
shares only too fully in the proper
ton.
Its courses are understood to be,
hereditary tendency, lack Of sunci-
snt clothing, living in infected houses
(Which should be disinfected) lack Of
ventilation, lack Of cleanliness, .un-
sanitary invironment, lack Of
proper food, etc., which can
be summed up in the term, Ignorance
on the part Of the people as to the
nature OF the disease and the means
OF prevention and cure Of it.
Poverty was given as a cause and
q result OF the malady.
The cost Of the dread disease as
brought out is an eye opener When
1t is considered what is the average
earning capacity Of victims, together
with costs Of treatment while linger-
ing, an average estimate Of $4,000
each is placed Probably 100000
people die In the United States every
year OF this malady. Thus 81 $780,
o00,OO0 worth Of productive energy
II cut of from our nation every year.
The remedies advocated so unani.
mously and forcibly are popular edu-
cation On the subject, means Of treat
ment OF patients and power to en-
force laws of health.
To educate the people DR.. Williams
advocated a small, well bound, neat
book Of about SO pages, composed
In readable, attractive style, also a
smaller printed pamphlet as we'll as
other forms Of literature. These
should be gotten up by the legisla-
ture and distributed by county CO.
operation. These books should be
taught In the schools, the teacher
having had suitable training, and
also frequent lectures should be de-
l1vered In the schools on the subject.
Hospitals, sanitariums and colonies
seem to be the means of treatment
for infected. These, it was set forth,
should be maintained partly at least
by taxation in order that no one
would wait too long to apply for
help through a feeling of dependency
but could claim it as a right.
70 any objection on Che score Of
costliness is rebutted the immense
loss now sustained by the ravages Of
the disease.
A city like Wilmington it was es-
timated, would have about so deaths
4 year. The cost Of the sickness and
death, together with the earnings of
these persons in normal condition
and average life being about So. 900
woufd bring the city's loss up to
100000 annually. It is estimated
too, that in a hospital or s~anitarium
Al a cost Of $175, the average life
OF the afflicted would be 1engthened
by ten years.
1t Is a recognized fact that there
are those who would not submit to
laws Of safety to their fellow men
such as burning all sputum and TAX
ing treatment where such could eff
fectually benefit them and be a
means Of safety to others. In such
cases law and its proper execution
was thought a necessary ~expedient.
Among contributors of papers, ETC..
We're Dr.. I. W. Faison, Charlotte; DR..
>. =. Brooks, Of Aberdeen; DIR. VIII.
liam M. Jones, of High Point; Dr..
>: Wesery Battle, q. S. N, Dr.. ". J.
McAnnally, Of High Point; DR.. A.
). Crowell Of Charlotte; DR.. James
A: Burroughs, Of Ashevi1le; DR..
Charles 7. Harper, of Wilmington;
DR.. John Roy Williams, Of Green's
boro; Dr.. W. N. Lambeth, of the
University Of Virginia; DR.. Charles
L. Minor, and DR.. Paul Paquin, Of
Asheville.
What the Convention Was.
It was not a doctors convention.
The doctors we're the leaders and
teachers, but the membership of The