The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-18
NO CHANGE IN WHITE PLAGUE PROGRAM NOW Senator w hitC0mb LaudS Present
 System Shows That Problem Of TubeE- CuIOSiS Is Economic as
 We'll as Medical
Special to The Farmer1

Hartford. April 1s-Ln the Senate. yesterday, the bill to create a single headed commission to supervise the tuberculosis work of the State was defeated upon the motion of Senator J. H. whitconb of Bridgeport, chair man of the committee on public health and safety.
 In his remarks favortng the re1eo- tion of the bill Senator Whitcomb said:
 Senator whitcoxnb. Senate chair man of tho Public Health and Safety Cornna8ttee, ln making hAB report against the bill to abolish the present ] State Tuberculosis Commission spoke l in part as follows: Tn 1907, John F. 7 Gunshanan, of Hartford, representing many labor organisations interested in the work of fighting tuberculosis among their ranks, had a conference with Governor Woodruff to urge ths governor to appoint a special com mission to investigate tuberculosis in ! Connecticut The governor was so much interested in the subject that he ! sent & special message to the General AssembIy requesting that body to ern- power him to appoint commission of nine members, which request was cheerfully granted The governor then announced the commission which included men in all walks of life, three of whom were medical men of wide reputation and authority on the treatment of tuberculosis. The personei of the commission were as follows: Dr. J. P. C. Foster, chairman, of New Haven; pr. stephen J. Maher, of New Haven; Dr. Omar LaRue. of Putnam: Horace B. Cheney, naanufac- ~turer, of South Manchester; Rev. James B. Nihi11, of Bridgeport; Ar thur R. Kfmb1e, newspaper repre- sentative of Waterbury; John F. Gun
 @R E1~ md P. Dcssin of Meriden. representing labor examinations, and William J. Bren- nan, attorney, of New London
 'In 1909 this commission gave very exhaustive report of its findings with the result that the General As sembIy passed a law creating com mission on tuberculosis of three mem bers to erect homes in Hartford, New Haven. and Fairfield counties for the | treatment of persons suffering from tuberculosis. The law also provided l that the commission should not alone l look after those confined in the coun- | ty homes, but they should tnaugurate 9 campaign of education along pre- ventative lines against the spread Of the disease. The law also provided that the commission should receive salary of $2,50O year for the first six years of its existence after which the General Assembly should decide what compensation If any should De allowed its mem berS.
 ssFoI1r of the six years has already expired and with the work still to be done I believe that the present form of commission should be continued The appropriation committee have al- ready appropriated about $1OO,OOO Tor inc construction of buildings, roads, and grading at the sanator1ums, To- cated in Hartford, New Haven, New London and Fairfield counties, and 1t will require much time and attention
 4I 7T7rfGS Sf f0 that this work has been faithfully exe- cuted.
 Another reason why I believe that the present form of commission should be retained Is that 1t is agreed by all authorities 1t is not alone medical but a economic problem. And to this end, I would refer to the re- port of the present commission sub nftted to his Exce11ency the Governor on page 19 in speaking of the treat ment at the State Sanatorfa, says, Living in the open air night and day, resting or exercising according to the prescriptions of the physician in charge drinking much milk and eat ing much food, such is the treatment of the patients at the State Sanatorfa. Not only are all nostrurns tabooed, but constant pressure is put on the medical staff to cut down to a mini mum the administration of drugs and .z+frnuIants of all kinds. Tuberculin is used only in selected cases of RIanduIar and bone tuberculosis. Good results have been secured in a few cases with antogenous vacc1nes. Now that the laboratory equipment is about complete, with capable and en- thusiastic physicians in charge, even greater success may be looked for along this new line.
 ''sDuring the past year the repeat ed systematic microscopic examina- ton of the spurum of all the patients
 I11z cd hXy the commission, and the order has been obeyed. Many interesting and 4aeIpfu1 medical finding were made thereby. Individual clinical therrno- meters are supplied in all the Sana- toria to all the patients. Improve 3nents have been made in the taking and keeping of the medical history of the cases
 'I further believe that the present form of commission Is necessary be- cause 1t requires a person in close touch with the condition under which the poor people live, and who has their confidence to interest them In organizations to prevent much as possible the spread of the disease among their numbers. It also requires a medical member of some expert knowledge and standing, who will see to 1t that the young and enthusiastic physicians placed in charge of the medical work in these institutions B0A4A uOI experiment. OH I1l04E CadTSSS many times to the detriment of the afflicted with every so-ca1Ied cure, which may be announced. And fur Eher there are now more than 500 cases in the State Sanetoria and when 4h% bund1ng~ AreaAV under way are constructed, fully 500 persons will be treated and will require practically all the time of a medical expert to see that they are given proper attention. F-hare Is also another side to the work of the commission, which requires much attention and that is the con duct of those confined in the ingtttu-