Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1913-10-17
TUBERCULOSIS GERMS
DISLIKE sun AND AIR
Infection In Open, Rarely II Ever
Takes Place, Says Or. Steed
TO Commonwealth Club.
HELD MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT
Next Subject Assigned will be Com
mission Form Of City Govern
ment," by Lee o. Lester.

After the regular monthly luncheon
at the Harvey hotel Tuesday even.
ing the members Of the Common
wealth Club enjoyed II paper pre-
pared by DR.. =. VI. Sterd on the
"Curr of the White Plague" That
the open air and hcathful climate
are the most important factors III the
cure of tuberculosis was affirmed
by DR.. Steed. who has spent eleven
wears in Dcmine where many suffer
rrs have received new lease ON life
AN INDOOR DISEASE
tuberculosis is uotorlously I'm IN
door disease. Infection in the open
air probably rarely, if ever, takes
place. Direct suns rays quickly de-.
stroy the virulence of the tubcrclr
bncilIi. II has been demonstrated
that bacillary sputum exposed Ia di.
rect sunlight for seven hour, was
rendered incapable of producing It
lesion, but retained its inicctivity for
seven duys. Dust collected from bed
rooms has been found To be- nfrr
tiou- after four months, therefore
houses vacated by careless consump-
tiyrs may he II source of Infection tu
succeeding tenants over Il consider
able period if thorough di-inirrtlon
ar renovation is neglected, Bedding
aud personal clothing of culisump-
tlves should be frequently setrlIizcd.
All articles of bedding, clothing, nap.
kins. etc. sent To the laundry ~huuld
be- NlrIiiZrd before they are put INTO
the general wash. The public drink
ing cup should be- abolished ns II
ls II great source of danger, Cold
drink stands, ice cream purIors, res
iaurants, etc, should be- compelled
In disinircl their dishes after being
used by AN individual. Even bar.
bers should be- compelled to stcrlllzr
their ra2ors. brushes, etc. All sputum
and other cxrretions should be de
slroycd, preferably by being burned.
tuberculosis is both contagious
and infectious, therefore too great
care cannot be- taken IN preventing
the spread OF 50 dangerous II dis
ease.
How should dsinicction be ac.
compished! This is a very i'm
portan, part of the subject, but very
little understood by the laity. Chem e
ical disnfcction of premises pre-.
viously orcuprd by tuberculosis IN
yulds is ni doubtful efficacy If not
followed up by thorough Icrlhbln9
and cleansing, but IN the ease "i
dwellings should be practlccd A. Il
preliminary measure. The most cl'
ieclvr lumigntion is by means OF
inrmaldrhydr gas. The contents oi
the apartment should br moved ont
from the walls. mattresses placed oi
edge, clothing hung loosely on lines
rags lifted from the floor aud every
thing 80 arranged us 10 permit tn,
treest exposure to the gas. All op
rnings should be- sealed with papei
slrips or some other suitable material
Sprinkle the floor with water, theI
Tor every 1000 cubic feet of room
space use S.dram iormaldchydc
>prinkling il over the floor, under lh'
beds, ctc, rs was the water, lcavln!
the apartment closed for at lcnS
twelve hours. After the apartment
has been CLOSED for twelve hours
should be- thoroughly rlcanscd b'
scrubbing the floor, clr., with soal
and water to which lysol, carbolic
ar chlorinated lime should be adde'
{" the volume ot two percent.
II is only within recent years tha
there has been any effective organ'z
ed campaign looking to the preven
ton of tuberculosis. The last dec
ade "t the nineteenth century W.T.
Messed the beginning of the slrug
Gle. hut no practical advance wa
made before 1900. Since then tn
movement has gathered force WIT
each year, and the present outlook
very promising. A. is inevitable
any great sanitary movement OF III
sort, much energy and money HAY
been wasted. but, on the whole, el
forts have been rightly directed an
IN the main, have brought encouras
lng results.
The factors concerned IN u
spread and development of tuberc'
losis are many and complex. The
involve more than the mere bacteI
l"logy of the disease. They bear ~
IN almost every aspect OF the u
of the community; its housing; |
social customs; its dietetic habit