Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-18
PHYSICIANS OF THE STATE
EQUIPPED TO MAKE, EARLY
DIAGNOSES OF CASES.
RECOGNITION IN EARLY STAGES
SOMETIMES QUITE DIFFICULT
Physicians Showing More Enthusiasm
in Efforts to Combat oiseass-stste
tuberculosis Department Issues En-
courasins Bulletin Showing Progress
Other News of the State.
pecial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Oct. 1S.-From reports
which are reaching the state tubercu-
losis department. the outlook for the
consumptive is much more encouraging
and hopeful. 1t is we'll known fact
that if persons suffering from tubercu
losis are to recover, the disease must
be known early. So true is this that
it may be stated as a truism, that "Tu-
berculosis is durable just in relation to
its early detection" The recognition of
quite difficult and the fact that phy-
sicians are diagnosing it more promptly
than in the past is only another indi-
cation of the progress being made. No
longer are colds or foarseness passed
over with hasty examination. In either
event now a most careful diagnosis Is
made including in many instances a
microscopical examination of sputa. In
deed so much Importance is now at
tached to these external signs that a
thorough physical inq,iisition, so to
speak, is Immediately Instituted, es-
pecially of the entire chest cavity. Per-
cussion, palpation and auscultation are
very frequently supplemented by tu-
berculin tests of various kinds, espe-
cially Is this true of Suspected cases
where the Clinical signs present indi-
cate that the person 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 medical
profession with reference to the ulti-
mate control Of tuberculosis Is re-
freshing, for it is an intelligent zeal
working out the problems of care and
Treatment Of the consumptive. Shacks,
tents, balconies and screened porches
in fact any suitable place affording fso-
lation and open air, are utilized for the
treatment of patients with the result
that restrictive measures established
have prevented infection of other per-
sons while patients have in many in
stances made favorable progress in
the arrest Of their disease And the eff
feet on communities in general is pro-
portionAtely as great as on the patient
himself. The people learn that the con-
sunptive when properly cared for Ii
not dangerous, and in addition have
also learned the value of rest. gooe
food and fresh air. This then becomes
preventive medicine.
1t may be stated that the sentiment
created among the people of the stat
by the Information which they hav
ybeen receiving the past few years f1a
made possible the establishment of thi
new order. Formerly when physician
made diagnoses it was common for tn
patients to reject their findings an
refuse to believe that they were tn
subjects of the dread disease; but wit
the knowledge that upon the early de
lection hangs the hope of cure, larg
numbers eagerly grasp the situation
and take advantage of the opportunit
afforded to make recovery.
That the outlook at present is OK
ceedingly hopeful can be seen at
glance from the progress which ha
been made in the last four year
against the dread white plague. TIL
campaign of education has been sup
plemented by the patients sent on
from the state sanatorium, who
wherever found, are beacon light
! reckoning to the hopeless that there !
hope for them, if only they take ad
vantage of the opportunity for an earl
detection of the malady.