Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-08
HELP THESE UNFORTUNATE
Mrs. G. A. Hoffman Pleads for a
Great Health Movement.

To the People of Dickinson county:
would appeal for humanitGrian
as we'll as a scientific and preventive
aspect toward these saddest of all
diseased people, the tuberculous pa
tients. A very erroneous idea exists
generally that they are unconscious
of their hopeless condition and do
not suffer the usual spiritual depres-
sion common in diseased people. This
is far from the truth, in reality, their
brave words cover heart full Of
anguish, even where there are
friends, good nurses and food and
loving care. They stare the grim
monster in the face daily and dur
ing weary, wakeful vigils at night
fight with more pathetic patience
and fortitude than is known with
any other disease. What then is the
suffering of the poor, the lonely
young man away from home and
friends with little or no means, shun-
ned by all for fear of contagion. II
an institution indifferently attended
by the nurse to whom he is afraid
to complain for fear of worse treat
ment, "the old time" physician
(there are still many says che will
die" The nurse hopes it will be
soon-and the whole atmosphere Is
enough to kill a we'll person.
In the name of humanity then let
lis try to be human towards these
most helpless brothers and sisters
red tape must be summarily cut
where 1t binds the helpfulness OF
man to man.
tuberculosis is preventable, cura-
BILE and communicable. The late IN
ternational tuberculosis congress at
washington fully demonstrated the
above facts. 1t remains for us to
nut into immediate practical use the
knowledge thus gained-in the most
scientific and humane ways possible.
The General Federation of Wo-
mans Clubs is making this special
work. Let the club women OF DICK
inson County enlist in this humane
army for determination of disease
from which no one is secure until
all are safe.
Rabbi Joseph Krauskopp, D. D.
of Philadelphia sends true and
warning note in an address of Feb
ruary 21st:
reason enough there If for our
being ashamed. In tuberculosis we
have one of the oldest-known dis
eases, q disease recognized and de-
scribed by Hippocrates, as far back
as the fourth century before the
present era, a disease warned against
ever since by the foremost physi-
clans Of every age and cline, a dis
ease which, Notwithstanding the
startling disclosures that have since
been made of its virulence and con-
tagion, has been declared, by such
scholars as Virchow and. Koch and
others, to be entirely preventable,
and, at certain stages, and under
certain conditions, absolutely cura-
ble."
And yet with all this knowledge,
an authority on this question tells
us: at has been conservatively es-
timated that each year there are
1905, 900 deaths from this disease
the world, representing
5000 each day. two for every minute.
In the United States there are, &C
cording to Mr.. Frederic L. Hoffman,
actuary of the Prudential Life In
surance Company, 10000 deaths au-
at an average age Of thirty
five years. =. In terms Of earning
capacity the loss cannot be set down
as less than s24O,0OO.OOO annually,
from this one disease in the United
States alone. tuberculosis kills as
many people, young and old, each
year as diptheria, Group, whoOping-
cough, scarlatina, measles and t.
phoid fever taken altogether"
CATHERINE A. HOFFMAN.