The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-01
NOT CAREFUL ENOUGH
ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS
Strong Sermon by Rev. ]. w. Barnett
on Observance of tuberculosis
Sunday at Congregational
Church.

morning service yesterday with an
appropriate sermon by the pastor, Rev
j w. Barnett, who addressed the
congregation on Barre and the White
Plague" His remarks revealed an ex-
! haustive inquiry into the subject, and
the practical health principles, which
he voiced for exterminating the dis
ease and alleviating some Of the exist
ing conditions Of its victims, are those
advocated by the country's leading
medical investigators and most pro-
found thinkers. The test Of the SER
mon was taken from Mark, . CHI, %
n, as follows; "All things are pos
sible to him that believethn The pas
tor said in part:
/ "If all the recent anti-tuberculosis
agitation is to end only in talk how
can any permanent, good or far-reach-
| ing effects resultg Something more
| than public sentiment must be created
to accomplish the desired end Con
stant discussion of the subject must
be followed up by prompt and ener-
getic action Treatment and preven-
tion of tuberculosis Is matter that
pertains primarily to the state board
Of health And this for the reason
that an inevitable element must enter
into any decisive action taken by local
physicians usually constituting the
lecal board of health The board APP
pointed by the state is the only unit
that has absolute power and there lies
the real starting point for an anti tuber-
90
started, should be prosecuted through
kindness, brotherliness and the spirit
OF Jesus.
"The old, prevailing theory that con-
sumption is acquired through heredity
has been exploded by scientists, who
agree that the diease is only com
municable And this Ii condition
which alters the whole aspect Of the
fight against the ravages of the white
plague The disease Is marveIously
prevalent in Barre. But its presence
here is not owing to the climate, as
some might believe, but rather the
trouble Is in infectious causes. High
and dry and having good air, no city
in the country has b better climate
than Barre The real cause il found
in the infectious conditions that exist.
People are not maliciousiy careless,
but rather, ignorantIy unmindful Of
some of the dangerous conditions ex-
tant in their very midst 1t will re-
quire some pretty severe measures to
extradite the results Of this careless
ness
"There are homes and public places
in this city that are literally alive
with tuberculosis germs. Chips from
the stone sheds are earted to the
streets, the dust to be blown about BY
the wind without any attempt at dis-
infection Street sweeping, especially
after d long winter Of accumulation,
il carried on apparently without the
slightest regard for sanitation Moving
picture houses. public halls and even
tho churches are NIL the mediums, to
greater or less extent, whereby the
germs OF the dread disease<are gath
cred and spread These conditions
must be removed ere the work is half
completed The public drinking cup,
long a breeding place for germs, has
been abolished from the state and
other drastic reforms must follow.
Now that it has been firmly estab-
llshed that tuberculosis il eommuni-
cable, 1t follows that the disease Is
also preventable under proper work
ing and living conditions Perhaps the
first steps toward prevention are the
erection Of weil.ventilated buildings,
and better regard for sanitation In
homes and places OF business. Poverty
will not prevent right living Pure
and wholesome food, fresh air and sun
light and the proper care of the body
are within reach Of rich and poor
alike, and these must me important
factors in the fight.
Tuberculosis IL durable and COM
plete recovery must come through hope
and trust in the ultimate good Of care
and kindness. The victim must be
taken in time and treated to the best
and most wholesome methods which
science has evolved Time was when
the afflicted thought that death must
efeue ;but now a new hope exists and
hundreds and thousands are being
saved It has been said that stone
cutters could not be cured, but there Il |
no conclusive proof to show that this |
Is impossible. Belief in final tri- /
umph over the disease is positive ele-
ment in the treatment One other |
point to be emphasized is the caution
which the recovered patient should ex, /
ercise. Care should be taken that the /
old unsanitary customs and habits shall I
not again prevail
In the course Of his remarks. Mr.. /
Barnett said that over 100000 persons
lie annually from tuberculosis, which
means the death Of one in every three
minutes 4sIn alludipg to the condition
of some Of Barre3s public places, he
spoke Of the recent city meeting, where,
he said no proper provisions were
made for thoroughly ventilating a
place designed to hold so many per-
sons at one time
HIT THE DEPUTY.