The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-10-28
A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK FOR THE
CONSERVATIVE.
Doctors Making EARLY Diagnoses
Says Press Bureau of Board of
Control of State Institu-
tons, Department on
tuberculosis.

Des Moines, Oct 21st-From re-
ports which are reaching this depart
ment the outlook for the consump-
tive is much more encouraging and
hopeful. 1t is well known fact
that if persons suffering from tuber-
culosis are to recover the disease
must be known early. So true is
this that it may be stated as truism
that Tuberculosis is durable just in
relation to it's early detection" The
recognition of tuberculosis in its
earlier stages is quite difficult and
the fact that physicians are diagnos-
| ing it more promptly than in the past
f! is only another indication of the pro-
gress being made No longer are
colds or hoarseness passed over
with hasty examination. In either
event now most careful diagnosis
is made including in many instances
a microscopical examination OF
sputa. Indeed so much Importance is
now attached to these external signs
that a thorough physical inquisi-
ton, so to speak, is Immediately in
stituted, especially of the entire chest
cavity Percussion, palpation and
auscultation are very frequently
supplemented by tuberculin tests of
various kinds, especially is this true
of suspected cases where the clinical
signs present indicate that the per-
son may be a victim of the tubercle
bacillus, and because of these facts
many persons have been put upon
the highway to recovery.
And the enthusiasm of the med
ical profession with reference to
tuberculosis is refreshing, for it is
an intelligent zeal working out the
problems of care and treatment of
the consumptive. Shacks, tents, bal
comics and screened porches, in fact
any suitable place affording isola7
ton and open air, are utilized for the
treatment of patients with the re-
suit that restrictive measures estab-
lished have prevented Infection OF
other persons while patients have in
many instances made favorable pro-
gress in the arrest of their disease.
And the effect on communities in
general is proportionately as great
as on the patient himself. The
people learn that the consumptive
when properly cared for is not dan
| gerous, and in addition have also
I, learned the value of rest, good food
!. and fresh air. This then becomes
l preventive medicine.
1t may be stated that the senti-
. ment created among the people Of the
state by the information which they
have been receiving the past few
years has made possible the establish
ment of this new order. Formerly
e when physicians made diagnoses Ill
1 was common for the patients to reject
their findings and refuse to believe
a that they were the subjects of the
t dread disease; but with the knowl
). edge that upon the early detection
y hangs the hope of cure large numbers
S leagerly grasp the situation and take
i advantage of the opportunity afforded
t to make recovery.
That the outlook at present is eX
q ceedingly hopeful can be seen at
glance from the progress which ha
a been made in the last four year
J. against the dread white plague. TIL
a campaign of education has been sup
IS plemented by the patients sent gu
: wherever found, are beacon light
IS reckoning to the hopeless that Their
n is hope for them, if only they taxi
IL advantage of the opportunity for al
e early detection of the malady