Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-01

BILLINGS, Mont, June 2+-To the Ed
tor Of the Bee.-Publio opinion In thu
United States Is getting the range OF tuber-
culOBis. The cat Is out OF the bag at
last. tuberculosis is durable and prevent
able TO a degree undreamed Of a few years
ago. There yet fingers in the lap Of truth
the lie that strong drink end consumption
kill off the undesirable citizens who have
less than the normal resisting power Of the
Yankee.
Occasionally a medical back number is
discovered in the act OF admitting into
a general hospital for treatment a case
Of this communicable disease called con-
sumption. 1t makes mighty little differ
ence to the victim of consumption where
he is put; 80 long as he is not given a
permanent immunity bath IN outside air.
Any other plan Of handling him Is simply
another way around to the graveyard.
The writer has lived in a family that
was decimated by this white plague Of
civilization. He has been the medical
adviser of other families and prescribed
bath tubs Of God liver oil. No wonder the
course Of consumption in such cases was
as typical as the course Of true love.
Just now we have the medical eye on a
family that IL making a gallant struggle
against sure death. The family consists
Of father and mother, and three daugh-
tiers.
The parents are healthy people. One Of
the daughters contracted consumption in
the public schools. Some intelligent peo-
pie still doubt the possibility Of such a
development coming out of the womb OF
the American educational system. They
insist II is an Indictment against the pub
lilo school system to whisper that kind OF
a charge. What comes to pass IL those
who speak 30, speak by the card?
Every human unit needs a certain amount
of breathing space. Education is q com
pulsory process. And It is deservedly so:
but the school house IL the magnet which
attracts children from oontaminated homes
just as powerfully as from those where
sanitation and hygiene do their perfect
work. Make a child a common carrier OF
consumption and he is condemned to a
lifetime OF disability. In the course OF
time he may graduate from the local high
school and pass on to one OF the state In
situations for higher education. His case
Of consumption makes him a human bot
tie of poison. The idea that he has 8
Theoretically sealed stopper in the bot.
tie excepting when he coughs
spits and sweats is exploded. Every in.
dividual who comes into his environment
will be exposed to contamination by breath
ing the air which has passed through his
lungs, and been charged with the first
cause of consumption. One of the daugh-
ters in One family mentioned above spent
. year in a Montana state institution and
then came home to die OF consumption. She
left her habitat at the state institution
infected; and capable of reproducing the
disease in the body of the next o%ccupan
This is the naked truth unless the state
attended promptly and rigidly to powerful
fumigation. The second daughter went t
an institution in the Mississippi valley t.
finish her education. At the end of th'
first year she suddenly found her mouth
full OF blood after the exertion of run
ming rapidly up stairs. She is now run
ming a Marathon race with consumption
II her medical adviser understands thu
nature OF the disease she may yet be re
stored to health; but no insurance com
pany would take a risk on her life.
Nebraska owns and operates some splen
did high grade educational plants. Nebra
skeese and Nebrsskanders are like tn,
rest OF humanity. They may contract con
sumption. In case they do, and infec
dwelling spots in a college town who fumi
gates the incubator after the original oc
cupant has gone home to get well or dit
on the installment plan?
JAMES e. FREE.