Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-01-20
DEPARTMENT ON TUBERcuLosi
BOARD OF CONTROL OF STATE
INSTITUTIONS. ~
Eradication of tuberculosis. Trainee
Health Officers Essential. dag
nosis Must be Early.

Des Moines, January 15-Though
very much has been done to educate
the people Of our state with reference
to tuberculosis as "a preventable dT
|sease, yet but desultory and feeble
effort has been made along prevent
i've lines. Much has been said and
written concerning the control and
final eradication of tuberculosis
which has been inspired by but sup
CRITICAL investigation. tuberculosis
lis disease of the masses and any
method to combat it must incorporate
a reformation of our present social
conditions. tuberculosis is result
Of conditions in modern life which
weaken physical resistance of the hu-
man body and prepare fertile fielG
fer the cultivation of the seeds of di-
sease and death. Some Of the devit-
alizing influences in modern society
which must be reckoned with ara:
overcrowding in centers of popula-
ton due to increased cost of living,
overwork, and undertaking -espef-
tally in mothers and children-unsar-
itary, illventilated and unwholesoms
houses, sfsisdfffcfent cletiiinig, ana DIS
|sipation. Poverty and want induce
this disease with reckless abandon.
That the education of the masses
on the, transmissable character OF
tuberculosis is an exceedingly i'm
portant thing cannot be doubted. 1t
is preliminary and necessary to any
well defined action. 1t is, metaphor
ically speaking, the marshalling and
massing of fighting forces in aggres-
|sive combat against the disease. But
it little matters what q splendid army
we may have at our command, if we
dc not crush the enemy in his strong
hold. We may in a desultory way
here and there win an occasional vic
tory, but so long as society tolerates
conditions as they are today, tuber-
culosis will recruit its forces indefi-
nitely. Any scheme of combat there
fore which does not involve social
reformation must in the very nature
.of things prove abortive.
AS a step preliminary to the final
eradication of tuberculosis, registra,
ton Of all persons suffering from
this disease, is believed to be the
,~o,t ;,,,nort,nt C,oh rao; G ofion i'm
no wise contemplates the publicity OF
the name or residence of afflicted
persons. Indeed health officers alone
would have charge of such records
and the records would never be open
to public inspection under severe pen
atty. Both Maryland and New York
have such laws which have proven
valuable and efficient. 1t is not al
gued here that laws applicable to
those eastern states would be avail
able for Iowa, but the necessity for
the control of our tuberculosis pop
uJation cannot be a subject of ser
ious debate.
Such a registration law would oper-
ate to change the social conditions
which now perpetuate tuberculosis; ii
would establish visiting nurses "as
sociations and day camps; it would
build retreats and sanatoriums and
care for the consumptive "at the
right time, in the right place and in
! the right way" thus robbing this di
sease of much of its terror.
Moreover such registration would
secure the early recognition of this
disease. 1t would bring to the task
,ealth officers especially trained il
the pathological changes of early tu
berculosis; men skilled in the tech
nique of diagnosis and treatment;
men with broad general understand
ing of scientific and efficient meth
DDS; men of culture, sympathy, honor
and good judgment.
In the treatment of tuberculosis the
method must originate with the ply
slcian, but in any event il the con
!. sumptive is to get well he must have
! the knowledge and experience of ;
vel trained physician. At this time
early detection. registration, and hos
pitalization of tuberculosis seems Il
be the trio most potential in its Grad
ication.