The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-06-26
VOX POPULI.
TUBERCULOSIS CAUSE
AND ITS PREVENTION
Pensa cola. ala. June 1o. az.

Pensacola, Fla. June 10, 1914
Editor Pensacola Journal
Judging from your editorials and
the surrender of valuable space in
your paper I take it that the broad
subject of public health finds some
encouragement in your policies. This
is especially commendable since in no
other way can the people become &C
quainted SO quickly and easily with
facts that bear upon their health. If
l can be Of assistance to you by sub
hitting the following you may publish
same at such a time as space in your
paper offers convenience.
I do not anticipate a demand for
proof when I state that the advances
Of science which touch upon the
health of the individual ought to be-
come public knowledge. The public
has a right to know the causes, pfc
Vention, consequences. symptoms and
treatment especially of those diseases
which are contagious or infectious.
There are many of these but most i'm
portant and destructive of them all
is tuberculosis.
of deaths or the economic loss from
this disease nor upon the staggering
expenditure used up in the crusade
against it. Suffice it to say that in
spite of every effort, public and pri-
Vate, tuberculosis is not only not di-
majority OF cases the infection with
tubercle bacilIi occurs during child
hood. The recognition of this fact is
important. Certainly adults can be
and are infected but these instances
are by no means as common as is gen
orally supposed There is to be borne,
in mind distinction between tuber-
Culous infection and tuberculous dis
ease. and this once understood will
clear away many false notions which
people have regarding tuberculosis. I
consider this one of the most impor-
tant points L may make in the course
of this article, for upon its correct
understanding will depend the early
recognition of a disease at a time
when it is absolutely durable.
BY a tuberculous infection is meant
the presence in and upon the tissues
of the body. of tuberCle bacilli; while
by a tuberculous disease is meant the
growth or activity of these tubercle
| bacCilH resulting in the production
of a disease condition. The former
may, and in many instances does, exist
independently of the latter. This fact
is not appreciated by the public, yet
it ought to be, for if we remember
that most cases of tuberculous dis
| ease can be traced to infection dur
ing childhood we might be able to un-
| derstand the backward child, be able
| to distinguish between tiredness and
| laziness, to differentiate between stu
| pidity and sickness; and in addition if
we remember that the infection before
| it produces any marked symptoms of
| the disease can be destroyed, we have
| learned the most important lesson in
! the eradication of tuberculosis as I
shall later show.
| Whoever has heard discussions
| among people relative to the disease
| in question will agree with me that
the classical picture presented IS that
of a man stopped hollow chested and
lean, feeble and sallow- skinned with
a terrible cough, night sweats and
perhaps pulmonary hemorrhage. Yes
this is a true picture but it is a. rare.
a late picture; the great majority of
those afflicted does not present this
group Of signs and symptoms as |
may convince you by describing the
case of a man weighing apparently