The Spectator., 1914-12-08
FRESH AIR AND TUBERCULOSIS

uhAoH6 lAc uulIdu IdCe III Iue pTeulS. 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 it 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 460 to S59 B. C., are directions for the care of case suggestively familiar to us, for he describes something suspicious ly like modern tuberculosis, correctly interpreting it as a fever and recom- mending for it fresh air, change of eli mate and hygienic living.
 From the fact that Celcus, a Rom- an medical writer who lived in the first century A. D., and Claudius Gal en, a Greek physician and medical writer GA. D. 131 to 200), approve Hip operates advice in their writings, it is reasonable to assume that the pray CTS and incantations 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 the 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 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 fastly to their faith In magic.
 But with the cultivation of a pecul- far greenish-gray scum, fungus or mold on egg albumen by Klebs in 1877 there began an era of sanity. From this beginning Robert Koch in 1882 succeeded in isolating and staining the tubercle bacillus. From this point step by step we have advanced along the road leading to control of the disease and after all the wandering and experimenting are finally today back where that keen eyed, thought full old Greek. Hippocrates. stood 2,300 years ago. Fresh air and hygienic living are the key which modern sci ence holds out for the release of hu- manity from the bondage of tuber- culosis. Healthy blood is the most certain and vigorous of all germicides. and 1t is very certain that there never will be discovered any method for the manufacture of healthy blood superior to the natural one of drawing an abun- dance of fresh, clean air into the lungs. introducing plenty of simple, wholesome food into the stomach, keeping the skin clean and active, and
 
 Just recently have been asked by the mother of a delicate girl if night air was safe for her to breathe. The results secured among the snow GOV 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- tion 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 ac-' Quired from coming close to nature are what Is responsible for the won- derful results secured in those insti- tutions.
 Very obviously the lesson to the rest of us should be that 1t is our in- dividual duty to our family and the community to make such good use, of this knowledge of natures work ings that we shall not become infirm and a burden. No one is immune un- less he lives rational normal life and none is so strong that he may not quickly become weak. It is in these periods of weakness that infection may seize us. to be subdued only through the regaining of vitality. But the trouble is not cured" it Is simply latent and ready to flare up again the instant we permit our vital powers to drop below a certain point.
 Loss of ambition and energy, a ca- pricious appetite. dyspepsias of all sorts are to be viewed with suspicion. and a careful examination should be made by one competent to locate any