Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-04-01

who died were children who did not |
receive the anti-toxln until the late
stasea Of the disease. The detailed |
atn<asties Of the department show that
the earlier the sick child receives the
antt-toxin, the greater his chances OF
recovery. These facts should empha.
size the pressing need, In all cases,
not only of anti-toxin treatment. but
OF this treatment at the earliest pos
sible time. The department has also /
thoroughly tested the powers Of anti
toxin as an immunlzing agent. Diph-
theria, as every one knows. is one Of
the most virulently contagious dis
eases. It travels like lightning from
the sick to the we'll In the crowded
homes of the poor, many of them ideal
culture tubes for the growth OF the
microbes, its virulence is especially
marked. The department In three
years has immunized with anti-toxin
1887 persons. nearly all children,
who had been exposed to the disease.
OF these only 251 acquired it--a little
more than one per cent. The State
Department Of Health's free distribu-
tion Of antitoxin to the poor, there
fore, has saved over 5000 lives at an
average cost Of seven dollars. each and
prevented contagion in several thou
sands Of cases at on average cost Of
two dollars.
Battle Against tuberculosis.
In its attitude towards the great
problem Of tuberculosis the state gov
eminent also shows this keen sense
OF responsibility for the safety of the
people. The department Of health re-
CARDS all the tuberculosis poor as in a
large sense the wards oil the state. Its
efforts, in the first place. are to pre-
vent them from falling victims to this
lnsidious disease. and In the second.
to assist materially in curing those
who have become infected.
The death rate from tuberculosis in
this state has fallen from 1874 to 120
per one thousand Of population in
four years. This means a saving Of
1000 lives annually.
In the matter of tuberculosis. how
ever, the death rate tells only small
part Of the story. Amy work In i'm
proving conditions must be fGnda-
mental. and It will necessarily take
many years before extensive results
are obtained. What the department
has done has been to lay the founda
ton OF comprehensive attack. From
its laboratory Investigations of the
tubercle bacillus to its especially
equipped sanatoria, there is no as
pect Of the disease that It does moi
, study and combat II aims to enter
AT every stage into the life of the tn
berculous poor. To many citizens tbs
, | state government is more or less o.
! an indefinite idea; they seldom CONT
, into contact with It as a living, actinl
I entity; If you are once stricken will
! tuberculosis, however. especially If yo'
! are poor, the commonwealth Of Penn
I sylvania becomes physically NANTES
| In your daily lives In the medical in
j. spection, in the physician and in th'
: nurses the state ceases to be an eco
a nomic abstraction and becomes a kind
+ helping, fostering personality.
!. The DIspensarIes.
Q If you are stricken down and canno
8 afford proper medical attendance
s there is always near at hand free II
; berculosis dispensary, established TO
,. precisely cases of this kind. There ar
4 many thousands Of patients In tn
s state who are still able to be abou
and tq -fQl9% the daily l5yr9!ga rogtinei pc
o Of especial assistance to this clas,
II The dispensary physicians have trea
). ed 2l,227 patients and actually cure
t 7i2. while the condition of 264s has s
s greatly improved that the arrest G
: the disease is almost assured. Her
r the sick man or woman Ia received b
n professional nurse, who makes
8 complete irst-hand investigation q
/. the case. BY questioning the patien
i she learns all the details Of his famil
s history. his occupation, his financis
r resources, his surroundings, at hom
or at work-the latter particularly 70
= the purpose Of protecting his intimate
s and associates from infection. This II
y formation she records for the use G
e the physician, and the department
p She follows up this preliminary tai
|. by an inspection at the patients hom,
8 Here her administrations amount TO
I liberal education in the treatment q
, tuberculosis. She instructs the patien
/ as to the proper handling of himself
T how he must dress, how he must ca
!. and sleep, and tells him of the wei
l. known ways OF building up the MAJ
4 ural resistance of his body. She ais
e advises all the other members OF IN
y household how to escape Infection
frequently discovers some members 4,
e the early stages of the disease and 4
+ thus able to ward It on. The nurse de
e votes particular attention to diet-nu
triton being generally recognized a
one of the predominating factors 1,
strengthening the body's defenses
She tells the housewife what to cool
and how to cook t. She inquiries pal
! uoularly whether there is a sudicien
! supply Of fresh eggs and milk. Pei
! haps the family is too poor to suppl,
: the sick man with these necessities
In that event the state itself provide
/, them. The dispensary nurses hav,
made 133.444 visits OF the kind de
scribed above.
Life at Mont Alto.
, Tbs, however. is only one depart
ment Of this lifesaying work. ANY on,
D who wishes a graphic idea of tn,
states sanatorium work should visl
the tuberculosis colony at Mont Alto
! | Here AT an elevation - 1con a..