The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1914-03-07

Replying to an attack on the move
ment for local tuberculosis hospitals
made by the Christian Science church,
Dr.. Hermann N. Biggs, State Commits.
sioner Of Health of New York, says in
. statement published to-day through
the Journal Of the Outdoor Life, the
Official organ Of The National Associ'
alton for the Study and Prevention Of
Tuberculosis, that tuberculosis is an In
fictitious disease and that every precsu.
ton known should be taken, especially
for the protection Of young children.
He particularly urges local hospitals.
The occasion for DR.. Biggs' state
ment is the recent wide dissemination
Of an article purporting to show that
tuberculosis is not infectious. By
quoting only a part Of q medical paper
written by Dr.. E. 3. Baldwin, of Sara
nae Lake, the Christian Scientists have
given the impression that tuberculosis
il not infectious, when, as a matter of
fact, Dr.. Baldwin laid stress on the ex-
treme danger Of the disease to children.
Tuberculosis is an infectious and
communicable disease" says Dr.. Biggs.
Ono age is exempt, and no one is i'm
mune against tuberculosis infection,
but differences in susceptibility exist at
different ages. The frequency Of infee-
tion increases rapidly from the first
year until at the age of fifteen perhaps
IS per cent. of the population show
. positive reaction to tuberculin, al
though only q small proportion have
signs Of the disease which can be de-
tected by other means.
"The conviction has been gradually
strengthened that the first infections
from tuberculosis often occur during
infancy and childhood. It seems prob
able that many of those who develop
the disease in adult life have carried
the latent infection since childhood,
and have no recent and new infection
when the symptoms Of the disease ap-
pear.
"It has also been found by expert.
mept that it Is difficult to re-infeet an
animal that has already been previous
ly inoeulated with tuberculosis. Hence,
it is inferred that some degree Of i'm
munity may be thus produced that may
serve to ward Of baeim which might
find Judgment in an individual not pre-.
viOusly infected Therefore, it win be
understood how the mild infections,
which are healed and present in most
persons who have reached adult age
may, and presumably do, offer some
protection against further limited inva,
sions Of the tuberels baeili. While
persons are in good health the protee.
tion thus offered il an advantage hav.
ing some resemblance to vaccination,
but only very limited in nature and not
complete. Prolonged or intimate expo
sure, however, or exposure to . viruleut
type Of tuberculosis may result in G
new infection, even Of those who have
overcome q previous mild infection
It Is, moreover, by no means certain
that in debilitated conditions due e
other diseases, to dissipation or to bad
environment, new infections may moi
occur. We know positively that the
frst childhood infection may under
such circumstances break out anew and
thus become . doubtful advantage, q
real sword with two edges.
''Considering the natural and &c.
quired resistance to infection by adults
much unreasonable fear or 'phthiso-
phobia' has prevailed in late yesrs
Because there il no preeSutiOn too
great for the protection Of the young
and delicate, this does not justify
healthy adults IN exaggerated fears fol
their own safety. In view Of the pres
ent Wide distribution Of the disease,
and lask Of adequate means for Segre-
cation, some exposure 10 infection Il
prastisaIy unavoidable. Efforts should
Be rSaoublsd instead Of RELAXED for the
better isolation, humane care ana In
tSlissnt tzsstmsut of sonSuuptiyss."