Norwich bulletin., 1914-02-07
ADDRESSED KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Dr. E. J. Lynch of Norwich Sanatorum Gives Instructive Talk Tuberculosis White Cross Council Made $2OO From Annual Ball-To Celebrate Anniversary.

and F we find that in the year 1890, 1O2199 people died of consumption in
 the United States, a proportion of over 12OOO per 100000 deaths. In 1900, 11059 people died of consumption, a
 proportion of over 10000 per 100,0 900
 deaths. It will be seen that over 100,-
 900 lives are lost year through this
 dread disease or to put it a. little diff
 ferently one death out of every ten is
 people die of consumption than of
 scarlet fever, measles, typhoid ferer,
 diphtheria. whooping cough and in
 f1uenza altogether. Fully eighty per
 cent. of the victims of tuberculosis are
 in the middle period of life, between
 the ages of fifteen and fifty.
 Has Two Aims.
 The general indications for prophyl-
 axis or prevention in pulmonary tu-
 berculosis may be classified as includ-
 ing two broad aims First to destroy
 the tubercle bacillus and prevent it's
 spread in the dried state and second
 when once it has gained entrance to
 the body to eliminate it as quickly as
 possible or inhibit it's growth by means
 of the vital energies. The tubercle
 bacillus which is the one and only
 cause of tuberculosis is unable (ex-
 cept when cultivated artificially in the laboratory to increase or multiply out
 
 or animals. This is partly because it requires high body temperature and
 partly because of it's slow growth as it is crowded out of existence by oth- CT micro organisms which grow more
 rapidly and luxuriantly. Fresh air and sunlight destroy it. It therefore ex- l ists among us only from being present l in CD the secretions of tuberculosis human beings and CD in the milk and meat of tuberculous animals. The | bacillus gains entrance to the human | system first and most frequently from 1 tuberculous matter given off by con | SumptiveS after it has become dry and ! pulverized and the bacilli diffused in | the air are then either directly inhaled 0 rtaken into the gastro intestinal l tract, and second, from the use of in fected meat and milk.
 What The State is Doing. ! The State of Connecticut in three | most important and effective ways is l carrying on it's crusade against tuber- l culosis first by establishing Sanatoria, | for the segration ral -t-e, css, bgkqzfi 1 for the segregation and treatment of
 all types of cases; the advanced case | as well as the early case; cases which | are too poor, or ignorant to take care l of themselves and in whose careless ness lies the chief source of infection; | Second, by rendering effective ffanciaI assistance to private Sanatoria; Third l by requiring the registration of every 1 case of tuberculosis within it's con- | fines. In our state Sanatoria the af- l tiicted poor receive the care and treat ! ment they require. It is these over | crowded lodging houses and tene- 1 ments in the poorer section of our | cities, plague spots which furnish the i everpresent foci and source of the dis | ase. For tuberculosis is pre-eminent- ' ly house-bred disease. It is not con- l tagious in the ordinary acceptance of 1 the term.
 How Disease is Contracted. In the vast majority of instances it l is contracted from living in a room or | d house which has been previously | contaminated or is being contaminat- l ed by the carelessness of a %bnsump- 1 tive. There is little if any danger | from transient exposure to contamin- 1 ated places. On cannot. contract con- l sumption from riding in street car 1 nor probably from sleeping a night ! or two in birth on railroad train 1 or boat which has been previously oc- 1 cupied by a careless consumptive. All ! such ideas of the danger of consump- | ton come of ignorance and eXagger- 1 atiOn. The period at which consump- l tiVes are most dangerous to their fam l flies and to the community is when | they are far advanced in the disea SC l and are very i'll. then it is that. while l expectOrating d great deal they are too 1 ill or careless to take the preca ution | of destroying their sputum and so l guarding others from it's danger. It is l in this latter way that the State San 1 atoria of Connecticut are doing such 1 q great work. Not only in arresting l the disease in apparently hopeless i cases but in taking these away from | their filthy surroundings just ae the 1 time when they are most dangerous to 1 others.
 Requires Constant Care. ] The fact is that there is no chronic ! disease requiring more persistent and i watchful care. more absolute personal 1 control on the part of a physician than ] does tuberculosis.
 l The doctor must regulate every de- 1 tail of the patients life. must enjoy his | entire confidence. must inspirt him with his owl enthusiasm. Upon these i two principles; i. e.:-the general 1 manag cement and the skilful applica- 1 tions of remedies to meet complica- 1 tions: the modern and successful 1 treatment of tuberculosis depends A persistent attempt has been made in | many quarters to prove that sanato- l rum treatment is of no value The i arguments adduced show complete l mis- apprehension of the scope and 1 mode of such treatment, of the rela- | tio0 which it bears to other curative
 agencies and disregard of the nature and causes of tuberculosis
 ] Sanatoria Justified
 Sanatoria are justified in exactly the l same way as are hospitals and schools. ! In each case the conditions are ar ranged to favor the work to be done | Sanatorium treatment at it's best rep resentS the sum of what has been learnt during the last fifty-seven years ] in the treatment of pulmonary tuber- l culosis-a sheltered site, hyper -aera- | tion by day and night. dust free 1 rooms, the reinfection, suitable food | drugs, Vaccines, tubercuIins and above l all the regulation of rest and exercise according to temperature. There is no reliable alternative method in l treating a well marked case, and the l choice lies between such treatment under continuous medical supervision and thoroughly suitable hygenic con duiCnS and a more or less imperfect l imitation elsewhere with only oc- l casiCEal medical supervision
 | Even nurse rule is much inferior tc l medical management as one might ex- peCt- Moreover the supply of suitably gifted and suitably trained nurses is | previously inadequate. The need o1 | continuous medical supervision is es- pecially felt in carrying out graduated l exercise. Judgement is required ir
 prescribing the amount of exercise
 and the patient must b eseen person