The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-05
NURSES DOING
GREAT WORK IN
"PLACUE" FIGHT
tuberculosis Prevention Soci-
cites Save Lives of Many
in Single Year
EVEHY THIRD DEATH Is
CAUSED BY THIS MALADY
One Million Are Suffering From
the Disease and 100000 Die
Annually

Every third person IN the United
States who dies between the ages ot
ID aEia years. utCs OF rUHCTCutUsi5-
There acs 100000 persons IN the
United states tCuay suffering from
that disease. Every year 100000 per
rims IN This country are killed BY the
white plague.
Quite an array OF statistics. isn't il?
II an invading army marched across
the United States killing right and
left and showing no mercy TO women
and children, al awful howl would as
cend 10 congress demanding more bat
tleships and armies. Every able-bod-
led man would nv 10 arms
But because the tuberculosis germ
is only cne-ten-thousandth OF an inch
long We pass him by with little atten-
ton. That's why the nurse OF the dou.
Bile red cross gets job In every
large city OF the United States and in
many OF ihe smaller ones these nurses
are fightIng for the prevention and re-
lief OF tuberculosis
Their work chiefly Is among those
who are unable to pay for the services
OF n physician. Many OF those they
deal with resent interferences. They
don't want 10 believe they are in the
grip OF the tiny monster. Living care
lessly as they do ignorant Of the men
acc they are 10 society, they spread
the disease to others. and add TO the
annual death toll of the cities.
The nurses OF the double red cross
work under the auspices of the Anti
tuberculosis societies OF the city In
which they are employed. newspa-
per reporter in st Louis started out
one morning to trai a nurse and see
the work she did. Here are some of
the things he saw:
Early in the morning telephone
message came into the headquarters
OF the antltuberculosis soclety saving:
There's a man down here that looks
as though he had tuberculosis. lie
takes no care OF himself and takes no
care 20 keep the disease from spread
Ing 10 others"
nurse was detailed 10 go To the
address given and try TO find The man.
The reporter followed. To reach the
home she had 10 pass through a long
dark hallway in a tenement house IN
order to get TO the rear of the building
where the man lived The nurses en-
trance to the house was blocked py
the mans wife She wanted no one
Interfering with her affairs.
Spreading Disease.
The nurse had TO get a policeman
~ force an entrance She found the
man suffering severely from tubercnlo-
sis He refused aid. but the nurse
realized the man had given the disease
To his wife and child and was spread
ing il to the neighbors. He was care
less ignorant and irresponsible lie
was TOO weak TO work, and the famlly
lived on the earnings OF the wife, VINO
ought 10 have been ont OF doors or In
bosnltal The city ordinance provides
that persons I'll OF tuberculosis can
be sent TO the City hospital whether
they want 10 go or not but the ordi-
nance does not provide they can De
kept there.
The sick man was sent to the hos
pitnl. but in five days he was back
The nurses kept after the famlly,
showing them how TO keep clean ana
,nstructing the man OF the hoHse now
TO take care OF himself 80 as not 10
epread the disease The family ala
NOT like the interference. so they NOV
ed. The nurses followed them. trali-
Ing them from place to place Every
where they went the nurses would IN
sist on cleanliness. They forced the
family TO obey the sanitary laws Tor
the protection Of others. The FANNY
moved 1S times In 90 days trying 10
oyade the nurses, but the nurses OF the
double red cross would not give up
Several times the family were lost
FOR n few days, but they were always
found again living in ignorance ana
carelessness. Eighteen times the
nurses fumigated their homes anu
finally the head OF the house gave up
"Tll 90 TO a hospital" he SAID.
He was sent to Koch hospital where
he would not be a menace 10 others
His wife was sent 20 the State Hospl'
tai for Tncipient Cohsumptlves' WheIe
the disease was arrested. The baoy
was sent TO the Childrens hospital
where he was given a chance TO i've
All day long the reporter followed
the nurse and the further he went the
more impressed he became with the
idea she was earning all she got. anu
more, too The nurse visited many
regular patients. Most OF them were
clad 70 see her and accept her advice.
She taught how TO be clearly ana
prevent the spread OF disease 10 oth-
ers. She taught that IL Is only the
careless consumptive that Is menace
TO others. The one who takes proper
care OF himself does not,do any harm,
She taught how TO sleep at night
with windows wide open and showed
how TO fx window tents so they could
sleep with their heads out OF the win
dows. Where II was possible she had
them buy screen wire and build
sleeping porch. She showed them how
TO prepare food so as 10 build up
their bodies and throw OF the disease,
and told them, what food TO eat. ~
There are many throughout the city
who are constantly giving tips TO the
Society for the Prevention and Relief
OF tuberculosis, telling them when
they find consumptives who are vio-
lating the laws Of health and spreading
the disease. The nurses quickly go
To prevent further increase Of the dis
ease germs.
These tips often are indefinite The
tipster can tell only the location where
the victim was seen and the nurse
goes TO the spot and from there makes
Inquiries. Sometimes the consump-
tive escapes Ind continues to spread
the disease germs
MIsInformed by Physician.
On one Of these trips a nurse found