Willmar tribune., 1909-09-01

decorator and all had already start
ed on their courses Of preparation
which were now cut short. They
had to resort to work that brought
returns for bread. Well, the years
have gone on and the prospective
clergyman, teacher and art decora-
tor are no more; the prospective en-
gineer has for six years come down
from one grade Of work to the next
lower until now he is wholly inca
pacitated and dependent upon
friends. Another daughter is in
the insane asylum from brooding
over all the trouble. and possibly
partly as a result of the neurologi-
cal effect of the disease. The sixth
child. daughter who has had the
good fortune to travel with friends
and SO Of disassociation from the
germ-laden home has thus far es-
capped the disease. The family
originally had a business and resi-
dence property and a goodly bank
account. all of which have been
wiped out by this ruthless scourge.
Listen to just another tale out of
the long list that might be told.
Three years ago a man and maid
married. happy and hopeful and
certain that the world was a good
place to live in. After several
months the husband fell i'll, was ex-
amined and found tn bercular.
From a mechanics position he came
down from one grade of employ
ment to the next lower that his
physical condition permitted him to
do. Intermittent work took the
place of regular everyday toll and
finally came total disablemept. In
the meantime the wife took up
work to keep things going. Friends
and the charities aided from time
to time. Soon the wife had spells
of exhaustion which caused her
friends to raise their brows. A
baby came. Our nurses were called
in at this point. Both man and
wife were examined by specialists
for possible admission to the new
State Sanatorium at Walker for in.
cipients, which was almost ready
for opening. His was a case just
on the border line between durable
and hopeless, but could be ad-
mitted. Hers was one of incipien'
cy. The necessary papers were
made out, the County Board had
agreed to pay the cost of care and
transportation. Then we waited
for the word to come. This wa:
early last fall. From week to week
the news came that next week sure
ly the institution would be open
At one time when it seemed thai
the report was really true. W.
packed the family's few effects
placed the child in an institution
pending the parents return and al
most had bought the railroad tic
ket, when again the word came
Sorry, but the Sanatorium ISM
quite ready yet. And so things
went along until, when the place
finally opened in December, tht
couple, on being examined again
were both found to have gone ove1
into the incurable stage and there
fore not admissible. The best tina
could be done for them at home ha
been done since then. In Januar!
the baby died of consumption an,
the man and wife are mi!
doomed. The last element in thi'
tragedy is that there is another ba
be on the way soon to be ushere,
into this vale of tears.
Probably the worst fact of all il
this connection is that the stroni
hopes of the consumptive for recov
cry during the long period of hi
aff1iction make him a ready victim
of the quack and the patent medi
cine man who take his money ruth
lessly and guarantee to cure. Al
the while the disease is getting
tighter grip upon him. When hi
exchequer is empty, the quack cast
him off and the charities get him
to bury him presently. o. that W
might discuss here the dark an
devious ways of these vipers, tn
advertising quacks who prey upo
the poor and the unthinking, bu
this is not the time. Suffice it
say that we know of one instanc
where one of these scoundrel
offered to give a man in an ad
vanced stage of consumption writ
ten guarantee to cure upon pay
. . ment IF &50 Tho offer uas acconi