The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-04
PREVENT INFECTIONS; /.
Bg1lllDIAG S!AlH AfoRiA
Continued From eAss ois. u

haS tccu tcatu wat wv lft1s'~s" ".
suppressing tuberculosis Is simple
one. Given adequate funds and au.
thority this is true. but we must
admit the magnitude of the task.
The practical question Is. what are
we to do with the means which are
within reachg or the different
methods OF attacking the disease.
there is no doubt that the one OF
greatest service TO the community
Is prevention OF the Infection which
IL constantly occurring from germs
thrown of by advanced cases. II Is
unquestioned that all persons ought
10 be properly cared for so that the
we'll may be protected. There should.
indeed. be provision for every case
i'm any stage OF the disease. In
practice IL Is not easy TO discover
the early cases and "a induce them
10 enter an institution. The incipient
patient win not endanger those with
whom he comes IN contact. but the
omen case In the household Is a real
menace.
State and Its Obligation.
Because Il Is recognized that
tuberculosis can and should be pre-.
vented. the state OF Minnesota has
,lcknowledged its obligation by I'M.
dertaking to aid In the care OF the
afflicted. Its first effort In this direc.
lion was the establishment OF the
state sanatorium near Leech Lake.
This Is intended for one hundred and
twenty patients, but has, at times.
contained one hundred and forty.hve,
at best an insignificant minority OF
those needing treatment. II was
opened in December 1907. and in the
first FIVE years discharged eight hun:
dred and ninety-two cases. Inquiry,
one year after the expiration OF
this period. showed that SIS per
cent OF these were dead This figure
indicates that IL was not possible
10 limit the admissions to inoipient
cases, as originally intended. En-.
rouragement as to the value Of the
service rendered. Is derived from the
statement. that, OF the patients re.
ported living. seventy per cent were
able to be at work.
Experience OF sanatoriunt.
The experience of the state sana.
,orium was proof of the necessity
for more adequate measures. and
in 1919 the county sanRtorium law
was passed. Under its provisions
any county or group OF counties max
establish a sanatorium for tubercu.
fosis. half the cost of construction
TO be borne by the state, Up TO the
present time twenty-five out. OF
eighty-six counties have taken &C.
ton under this law. Six sanator.
Ia are established by single coun.
ties. St Louis. Otter Tail and Ram
sey being I'm operation, and Henne.
pin. .Goodhue and wabasha under
construction Six districts, each EN-.
bracing two to eight adjacent coun.
ties, are organized and preparing 10
build. Six other individual counties
have made appropriations but have
not completed arrangements, These
thirty.five counties comprise one-hali
OF the area and sixty per cent OF
the population OF our state.
Question Voted Upon.
AT the last general election the
question OF establishing sanatoria
was submitted TO the people of -four
counties and was carried In every
instance. The law provides that, In
case the commissioners OF county
decide not 10 construct sanator
ium. the question, shall on petition
of FIVE per cent Of the free-hoiders
be submitted TO the voters at Q
general or special election, and b,
decided by a majority OF the vote.
cast thereon. ] wish TO congratulate
the people and the profession o
Blue Earth county on its being on,
of the four counties where thi.
procedure was carried out. This sue
cessful result was obtained after ,
campaign OF education. which broush
the issue before the voters and mad,
chem realize the need for such nj
institution. IN this effect the loca
men interested reteiyed support arr
assistance from the state board o
health, the Minnesota Public Health
association and the advisory CON
mission OF the Minnesota state sans
torium. g.. .
Southern Section Backward.
"A glance at the map. indicatini
the counties which have acted, unde
the law. shows that Southern Mime
sofa has been backward In taking nd
vantage OF this opportunity. Wit
the exception OF Blue Earth count
there Is an unbroken stretch o
territory, which extends from W,
basha and doodhue counties on tn
east to districts four and Ave on tn
western border Of the state. With
this rich and prosperous section bu
one appropriation has been fort
coming. think that this situatio
reflects on us as representing IN
profession Of Southern Minnesota.
wish TO urge on the members OF thi
association the importance OF cor
tinuing an active interest in thi
undertaking until there is a be
provided for every tubercuiar d
tient who can be induced to ente
an institution. The half million do