The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-07-02
was eventually developed the whole
system OF assisting agriculture by the
employment OF high explosives.
PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS

y
l PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS
That tuberculosis is becoming one
of the important problems of rural
/ districts is one of the findings of the
/ Investigation made of tuberculosis
conditions in Dunn county. Wis.
This survey, which was made by the
| Wisconsin Anti-tuberculosis Assoc
citation. under the direction Of Kath-
rene Gedney Pinkerton, is the first
original Investigation of tubercu-
losis in rural districts ever conducted.
Dunn county was chosen because
of Its peculiar adaptability to inves-
tigate work. Conditions in this coun-
| ty are neither extreme nor unusual.
In table Of comparative tuberculosis
death rates. Dunn county is below
the average of other counties in the
state.
Schedules embracing forty Ques-
/ tons were filled in in 800 cases. From
! these general figures have been de-
Quoted. In an average death rate taken
in a FIVE year period. thirteen of the
| twenty-five townships we're found to
| be above the state death rate OF 1917
/ per 10000 population. The death rate
/ in two townships was as high as 81
per 10000 population. In thirteen OF
the twenty-five townships there has
been an increase Of from four to nine
/ teen per cent in a ten-year period.
Disinfection after death is as yet
an unofficial matter. In only two OF
i the twenty-five townships has the
disinfection after tuberculosis deaths
and removals been attended to by To-
cal officials. In sixty per cent of the
cases, where there was disinfection,
4 it was done on the instigation Of the
family, and was what they called
Just what we would have done after
any DEATH" This disinfection was,
in SO per cent, disinfection of sui.
phur. In Al per cent formaldehyde
was used.
Personal habits, which would at
feet the spread of the disease, were
Investigated. In the county IL per
I cent OF the patients were reported az
observing care in the disposal of their
sputum when in the house, but only
2S per cent observed care when in the
yard. This is an important phase OF
the question The farmer is at work
usually in his own barnyard and with
members of his own family. HIS
i carelessness is dangerous to his own
family rather than to the community
i In the country 81 per cent were re-
ported as observing care in the use
of separate dishes, and % per cent
used separate drinking utensils. Care
lessness in the use of common
{ drinking cup is of vital importance in
the rural districts. There the water
pail is used rather than the tap. The
dipper is plunged after the drink ba
into the pail, thus affecting the entire
contents.
In the cities IS per cent OF patients
| sleep alone, and only per cent steep
: three in a room. In the country, only
AT per cent sleep alone, and 10 per
cent sleep three in room. The Ia
, BILE is too long to be given here in
| detail. but it shows just as large a
per cent of bedrooms with six or sew
: en- occupants as in the cities.
J The results of ignorance and care
! lessness are read in the figures IN
: contaeion. Although moving is rare
: in the country, number OF unmistaK
able instances of house contagion
8 were found.
In family contagion the figures are
. most striking Whereas, 38 per CEN
t OF families in the cities showed con
Y tagion in the family, 65 per cent o.
e families in the country reported con
s tagion. Again, II per cent in tint
/ cities and 81 per cent in the country
+ show two cases in family.
s A diagram has been drawn OF thu
J. number Of families showing CONTRACTOR
l. and the model average Of the persons
g observing care. The results are com
d polling. In every township in Whicl
# the death rate is high, the number o
Il persons observing care is low. ant
+ vice versa.
S These figures are Of especial in
II terest in their comparison with cit!
r figures, which 1T is possible to make
l. as a result of the Wisconsin Anti
tuberculosis associations previous SUI
y vey in eight cities in the state.
h The biggest fact to be drawn iron
IS the survey is that fresh eggs, mill
j. and pure air will not overbalanc
y such factors as daily contact with
n careless consumptive, ignorance AM
n the infected home.
lei And this means that education
Is the sanatorium for the advanced cas-
s. and official vigilance in the disinfee
d ton of houses are necessary for
g solution of the tuberculosis probler
u in the country.
z. --------------
IT NOTES AND COMMENT.
n. 1t is noticed by the st. Louis Globe