Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-15
TUBERCULOSIS
Prevention Discussed by
Rev. |, W. COOnS.
Urges Enlightened Public Opin-
len on The Subject.
Says That Augusta Is Behind Other
Cities i'm the Matter.

Tie auditorium of the Winthrop
Street universalist church contained a
big congregation, Sunday forenoon.
called together largely by the an
nouneemont by the pastor, Rev. Leroy
w. eoons, that he was to speak upon
the subject of Tuberculosis in Rela-
ton to Local Conditions" sunday,
April 2s. will be recognized generally
as Tuberculosis Sunday, but Mr..
Coons preferred To treat the subject
at this time, because our whole city is
turning its attention to this topic. this
week. on Thursday evening, will oc=
cur the banquet at the Augusta House.
when DR. Downs of Fairfield, DR..
Nichols of Hebron and one of cur le-
cal physicians will discuss this timely
subject.
MIR. Coons, in beginning his address,
stated that he considered it to be good
religion which prompted a pulpit dis
cussion of the subject of tuberculosis,
Here at our doors is seourge which
blights life and despeils homes. In
Maine alone, 1000 lives every year Is
the toll required by tuberculosis. These
lives. too, are taken in the most pro-
duetive years If Il life, economically
SPEAKING. is worth $500 the price OF
a good slave before the Civil War,
then We are giving up. each year, the
sum of 81 100000. Add to this the. ex-
penses of physician, nurse, medicines
funeral, $1,000 more in each case, ana
we have a total financial loss ofg 81
500 Coo in Maine, every year. This rs al
most equal to the sum we pay 10
maintain our entire educational sNs-
TEN aud for the building and repair
ing of our roads. The great white
plague demands more victims than all
other infectious diseases together.
Sad as the story is, it is not hope
less. such sain has been made that
there has been revealed to us the sure
way of victory When the State Board
of Health began to gather the figures
on this disease in our State in 1882,
there were 1852 deaths, or death
rate of 2024 per 10000. A general de-
crease in the figures has occurred un-
til in 1910, there We're $50 deaths. or a
rate of II .9S per 10000. And in this time
several very definite things have been
learned in regard to tuberculosis; q
1t is not hereditary; (2 it Is lniec-
tious: go il is preventative; Cd Il is
durable.
Cur hope said the speaker, is alto
gether in an enlightened public opin-
| ion.
We have now law requiring ply
sicians To report within As hours any
! case of ncipient tuberculosis diseov-
| cred. If the physician is the attend :
ing physician he knows that lin many
eases 1t means his dismissal for him
| To report IA case of tuberculosis. With
all the attendant inconvenience, our
families do not thus act in cases OF
diphtheria. smallpox or scarlet fever.
Here the cases are reported and a
quarantine is established. Public SEN
timeut should be. with the physician
| in tuberculosis cases as in other in
feetious diseases,
we have a state law in regard 10
expectorating upon sidewalks, street
| crossings. floors of theaters, city
| halls and street cars. This law, we
| are told, is carefully enforced in 9th
| er cities in Maine. Does anyone know
| of amy attempt made to enforce this
| law in Augusta
one of our city physicians. mem
| her OF the State Board of Health, re-
| ports to the Board of Education that
| there are at the present time in Au-
| gusta enough cases of incipient tu-
| berculosis among our school children
10 warrant the establishment of af
| open-air school.
| White the rate of deaths per 1o.ool
| has decreased over the state from
2ag4. in 1892, to 1i.9S, in 1910, the fig.
| ures in Augusta, for the past two
years. show startling increase. Thi,
| is not due to living in an unwhole-
| some section. COD never made a more
beautiful nor mere healthful spo
| than this in which we are. The diff
| ficultN is all with ourselves. Portland
| Bangor. lewiston Waterville are or
ganized and are making war upol