Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-02-20

Il
of their income. However, would b
ashamed of doctor who would not lif
his voice to destroy such an insidiou
disease as tuberculosis. No, my friends
l am doing this more for your good thai
for the medical profession. Medica
men know how to protect themselves il
this matter, but how about the poo
unfortunate who becomes victim o
consumption.
There is universal cry going up al
| over this land for relief from this awfu
white plague, many states are nov
taking proper care of consumptives il
the way proposed by this bill. Senator
Crawford mentioned this in his messag,
the other day. Your governor believes
in it and SO does every honest man wht
has the good of humanity at heart.
Gentlemen, you are spending large
sums of money on your cattle and stock
and doing your best to stamp out dis
ease of similar nature among them
Do you want me to understand that yor
do this for the good of your individua
pocketbook and for selfish motive alonet
No, gentlemen, will not believe it. ]
believe the average man will help his
neighbor.
fully understand that there is some
opposition to this bill because it carries
an appropriation. This great state
prides itself on its great wealth, and
know that we have spent a great deal of
money in the past and have obligations.
Do you believe that the people of this
state want you to avoid your duty to
consumptives for this reason? 1, for
one, do not believe it. l would not care
if it did go into the hands of receiver
for such cause. You can take my
word for it that this will not happen to
this great state.
Do you know that 26O persons have
died of this disease in the year 1908?
Do you know that it is an easy matter
to count up a thousand suffering from
this disease in this state today? Do you
want to wait until this plague destroys
ten times as many2 Is it not wise to
stamp this out now and begin today?
Gentlemen, procr estimation is the thief
of time.
AS medical man say to you that if
given the case early and treating at the
we can cure the great major
ity of cases and send them back to the
bosom of their family. Supposing we
cure only ten per cent of the 260, is
81 900 and 5000 year too big price
for saving those lives?
Gentlemen, do you know that the
hospitals refuse to receive consumptiye
cases? The great trouble in this state
today is that we have to treat the cases
at their homes, not speaking of the utter
lmpossibility of treating these people on
a scientific basis at home, but speaking
of the dangers of communicating the
disease to every member of the family!
want to say: The idea that this trouble
is inherited is exploded and proven not
true. You must come in direct contact
with the germ in order to contract it,
but, gentlemen, do you know that con-
germs are alive and active for
years, even if spittal containing these
germs is dried and kicked up in the
dust.
The treatment of tuberculosis today
is not medicinal one, but is one of pure
air, both day and night, pure water
pure food, especially such food as will
build up the body, and proper exercise.
tuberculosis germs cannot live and
in sound body and just in
as you build up that body,
will you destroy that germ.
Many may ask why want to locate
this sanitarium in the Hills. You all
know that this is the best place for it.
We haye the pines, giving off their
ozone, and the pines are the best wind
break nature affords; we have the sun
shine; we have as good and cool water
rs any place in the state; nature shows
rs new pictures in its rugged scenery
every moment, and one does not get
enough of it. We have the altitude of
Colorado, which forces one to take the
proper lung exercise in order to breathe.
do not insist upon its location in
Custer but / do insist on its being placed
in the Hills. Ifthere is any other place,
where is it?
And, lest forget. let me say to each
and every one within my hearing, live
rs much as possible in the open air and,
above all things, sleep with your win
dows open, even if it is below zero.
In conclusion: Ifevery tombstone gave
the age of the person and the disease
from which he died, am sure you
would recognize your duty without my
pleading with you.
You would there see the story that
would speak for itself. You would find
many mound under which. sleeps the