Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-12-11
FRESH AIR AND TUBERCULOSIS.

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That there was any tuberculosis
among the human race in the prehis-
toric days when men lived wild and
rugged lives without fixed habitation
in the mild climate where the species
first developed is highly improbable.
The disease undoubtedly made its first
appearance only after men began to
herd together and live a communal
life; the evidence seems to prove that
1t tends constantly to increase pro-
gressively with our advance in mater
ial wealth and culture as the indi-
vidual is more and more removed
from the fundamental source of ener-
gy.
In the writings of Hippocrates, the
father Of medicine, who lived 400 to
359 B. c., are directions for the care
Of case suggestively familiar to us.
ly like modern tuberculosis, correctly
interpreting it as a fever and recon-
mending for it fresh air. change Of eli
mate and hygienic living.
From the fact that Celcus. Rom
an medical writer who lived In the
first century A. D., and Claudius Gal
en-, Greek physician and medical
writer "a. D. 131 to 2o0). approve Hip
pocrates' advice in their writings. It is
reasonable to assume that the pray
ers and lamentations customary among
the priests and people generally from
the dawn of history were still depend
ed on in that day to combat the dis
ease. Galen In his: writings recog-
nized tuberculosis to be contagious.
In general from the birth Of tho
tribe down through the centuries when
the physician was half magician and
half priest, and to doubt his skill was
an act of impiety, the demand has
been for pure magic, and, OF course,
strenuous efforts have been made to
supply the demand. This effort will
continue until an enlightened people
cease to ask the impossible. Invalids
have been bled to death and dosed
with poisonous elixirs Of life to no
avail, but the people have held stead
lastly to their faith in magic.
Fresh air and hygienic living are
the key which modern science holds
out for the release of humanity from
the bondage of tuberculosis ~ |'
Just recently have been asked by
the mother Of delicate girl If night
air was safe for her to breathe. The
results secured, among the snow COW
cred peaks of the Alps in cases Of sur
gical tuberculosis Of the bones furnish
the answer to this question. Cases Of
undeniable tuberculosis have been
carried to. the point OF treatment be-
cause the invalid was too weak to
walk, and heliotherapy has been tried
as the last resort before the amputa-
ton that had been recommended by
competent authority. In the course
of a few months the victim, with the
skin from head to foot tanned to the
color of piece of rare mahogany; has
recovered sufficient vitality to enjoy
going out in the cold, crisp air arrayed
in nothing but breechcloth and play
ing games in the snow. Good food,
fresh air, and the general tone &C.
quired from coming close to nature
are what is responsible for the won
derful results secured in those tnsti-
buttons.
Very obviously the lesson to the
rest of us should be that it is our in
dividual duty to our family and the
community to make such good use
of this knowledge Of natures work
ines that we shall not become infirm
and a BURDEN No one Is immune I'M
less he lives a rational normal life and
none is so strong that he may not
quickly become weak. 1t Is In these
periods Of weakness that infection
may seize u.s., to be subdued only
through the regaining Of vitality. But
the trouble is not Cured" it is simply
latent and ready to fare up again the
instant we permit our vital powers to
drop below a certain point. g..
LOSS Of ambition and energy. a ca
PRECIOUS appetite, dyspepsias of all
sorts are to be viewed with suspicion,
and a careful examination should be
made by one competent to locate any
tubercular focus one may have tucked
away In some corner. r..
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