Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-12-23
WOMAN DIRECTS FIGHT
AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS

Possibly very few Americans have
kept pace with the lightning-like re.
vivials now going On in Ireland
Everything Unirish Is being stamped
out. All but strictly Irish traditions
are being as quickly obliterateo as
they were once ass!rnifated. ireland
is being deanglicised lingually and
artistically.
The newest and most important
steps in the revival movement. now
ever, is the hght against tubercuAo-
IDS. the most deadly OF all Irish Ills.
The deaths from tuberculosis num-
be1ed 1900 in Ireland two years ago.
Today, lecturers are travelling
through primitive and unrailroaded
parts Of the country in vans demon
strating to the people in the simplest
possible way, the means OF cure and
prevention. Their talks are adapted
to the old and illi-srate, or to the
young and schooled: the adolescent'
the material. Even the little mothers
Of the slums are appealed 70 from
their own argyle OF vision.
The prime mover and director O.
this enormous work is q woman, the
Countess OF Aberdeen. Even Col.
Roosevelt might well feel enyious OF
her energy and industry and the ease
with which she manipulates this big
and delicately organized movement.
Her resource is shown in the way
she has utilized abandoned costguard
stations for preventoriums; where
anyone who has been exposed to IN
| lection, but Is still sound. can further
| indemnify himself against the attack
| by rest and recuperation with the
wholesome sea breeze and pleasant
surroundings. She has dotted Ireland
with canatoriums, with their plethora
of shelter porches, 30 that day ana
night may be spent in the open air;
| babieS clubs in the slums of the big
cities where mothers may bring tneir
little ones and receive helpful and
friendly advice and spend an snouf
chatting with their own kind over
cup OF tea: lace industries where the
delicate and convalescent may mo
employment that is not death helping
The countess is head and heart and
soul in her work. And we who love
to cherish among our crudities tht
lsdelusion that the "effete" arlstocrac!
Of Europe is sinking into dismse; WHIT
i ptcture dukes and earls tottef1nl
under the weight Of their strawberr!
leaves and their ladies fitting through
life wor. than useless, needs mus
pause" before this vigorous and WON
anlv vicereine of ireland. The mos
iconoclastic Socialist could find n
fault with her democracy.
She came upon me so simply. ne
arms full of papers and health maya
zines. of one of which she is hersel
the editor, that was utterly una"ar
Of the chasm Of glass and only cor
scious of being in the presence
an unusual personality. The click
the typewriter in an adjoining room
the mass of papers hsaped up hie
about her boudoir, the desk with II
heavy mail evidenced her bushes!
like and even bee-like industry. A
!. the softness that rank and birth Civ
for even the most anarchistic OF !
| have to admit Of the graces they b.
stow, have been used by her for e
. fectiveness and not for enervation.
t Her room was flower-flled, 81
! book-nlled, too. There, were love
r Z ctures and beautiful furniture. b.
e she does not lounge among thel
She Is sweet and gracious and nan
/ sonnet for her fair coloring max
l. her look younger than her portrait
r and she is regal, too, l am sire We
: much a queen in state. but I on
# thought of her as y woman OF gacu
e intellect and very gracious Witn'
!. who used all her personal gifts
I mind and manner, ard the extraneo
\ ones of rank. to uQlift the humanl
A that was closest to her and most
need.
;, And I could not but wonder as
- drove down through the park to t
=. entrance ledge how / had just Il
= a representative OF the Oldest insti1
~ ton Of the world! where eve
- step is graded, where everythl
- must be approached slowly and
~ ~ due form and irrevocably as we
~ from lodge to castle door. The Will
% wind smash hers Of traditions and "a
- that we CORY in are not here,
vet, repres entative though she be
kingship. she Is the most democra
and simple person that one wo1
want to know; and at present:
10 organizer and head of moyem'
NJ for the unfit of the very lowest
OF tie kingdom. II monarchy ever Il
on and kings and their viceroys be sW
10. away, the counters will, l think,
70 main, as president Of the woma
a --.tional health movement In lrel'
az and be still the first lady there
~ Lucille ErsEine.