The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-01-30
MEDICAL
Authority Says tuberculosis
Not Infectious
Editorial Comments On The
Subject

tuberculosis, to the effect that there Is
very little danger from infection of
this disease, will come as a matter of
extreme qualification to many sensible
men, both in and out of the profession,
who have long deplored the excited
condition of the public mind on this
subject. The gentleman who makes
this comforting statement is DR.. E. r.
Baldwin of Saranac Lake, who is rec
ognized specialist, and his assurances
lose nothing of their value because
they are referred to editorially, and
with approval, by the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
DR.. Baldwin's conclusion is that
adults are Gerry little endangered by
close contact with open tuberculosis,
and not at all in ordinary association,
and he further says: Qualify these
statements as we may, it is time for a
reaction against the extreme ideas OF
infection now prevailing. There has
been too much read into popular lit
erature by health boards and lectures
that has no sound basis in facts, and
1t needs to be dropped out or revised"
He believes that "the preachments
about the danger of infection to adults
in the present state of society are
without justification from an expert
mental standpoint"
To all of which the Journal Of the
American Medical Association adds
that these statements represent not
one mans views, but what seems to be
the growing conviction of the most
progressive and thoughtful students Of
tuberculosis at the present time"
1t is fortunate that the disclosures
regarding the non-infectious nature of
tuberculosis should come with the au-
thority of one who is accounted spe-
| cialist on the subject, and that it
should be vouched for by so high a
medical authority as the Journal of the
| American Medical Association, since
now there will be less room for skep-
ticlsm and less opportunity for dissent.
| The medical journal referred to calls
the prevalent attitude of the public
thought on the subject by the appro-
| pirate, If difficult title, "Phthisiopho.
bia,' and commends Dr. Baldwin's ad-
vice to apply check to this mania.
Those who have observed the cam
paign against tuberculosis which is
now being waged by certain portions of
the medical profession, will hardly
care to deny that it has resulted in a
deplorable hysteria, which has not
done the country any good. Earnest
men and women have been beguiled
by specious arguments of humanitar-
ianism into lending their aid to a pub
licity campaign that was ostensibly in.
tended to warn the public against the
ravages of the disease, but which has
served only to spread in the thought
and hearts of hundreds of thousands a
paralyzing fear that never should have
been created
Members of state legislatures have
been impressed in many instances by
the dramatic and highly colored ac-
counts of the dangers of tuberculosis,
| furnished by over-zealous advocates OF
radical repressive measures This has
sometimes resulted in proposals to ap'
propriate large sums of the public
money to build tuberculosis hospitals
Under the spur of what now proves to
be an unwarranted fear, lawmakers
have been urged to pledge the state to
unthought of expenses, in order to
treat all who might be thus afflicted
1t has even been proposed to enact
Hesitation which would clearly be un
constitutional 1t has been proposed tc
give to state boards of health unlimit
ed authority to enter the home and
frocibly remove tuberculosis patients
to state hospitals, where compulsory
treatment would be administered AL
of which has been justified by the ad
vocates of these drastic measures OIL
the grounds that the danger of lnfec
tion was so great as to demand sucl
: action.
Now that the medical profession ha
modified its view about tuberculosi
and its menace to the public health a
a transmissible disease, perhaps th
revelation, or confession, whichever
may be, has come in time to save
good many heart aches and furthe
{ spreading of the debllitating fea
I which has hitherto accompanied tn
I publicity campaign. Perhaps also, tn
!, lawmakers, who have been stirred t
: unwonted depths of benevolent desir
d to guard the public health, may col
S clude that great expenditures of tn
g state money to protect citizens from
disease that has no serious infection
character would be poor economy, I
5 say the least.
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