The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-12-01

economic loss Of about two hundred
and fifteen million dollars, says an
article in the Washington Evening
Post.
Speakers at the annual meeting last
night Of the Association for the pre-
ventiOn Of tuberculosis of the District
of Columbia quoted these statistics as
proof that tuberculosis is still mans
greatest enemy, Notwithstanding the
fact it has failed to instill in him the
fear thai other less fatal disease, such
as smallpox, have.
DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, who spoke on
Hygiene Living in the Prevention of
tuberculosis, took the public to task
for it's indifference to the maiady. He
referred to the excitement over the
foot n mouth disease and declared
that where the epizootic kills one COW
tuberculosis carries off ten human be.
ings.
Proper living and segregation Of
willfully careless consumptives were
urged as the most effective methods
for combating tuberculosis.
The attendance at the meeting,
which was held in the public library,
was considerably larger than in previ-
Gus years-a fact commented upon by
the speakers as an encouraging sign
that the local public is becoming more
Gus to the Importance Of the ,.s-
sociation's work.
Prevention the Keynote.
Gen. George M. ~Sternberg, u. S. A,
president of the association, presided.
Prevention, he said, is theh keynote
in the fight or the white plague. To
make prevention effective he urged
destruction Of rubercular germs in
milk and other sources of infection,
infection, instruction of the ignorant
in the dangers Of spreading infection
and segregation of willfully care
less.
Gen. S~ternberg said infection
usually occurs during childhood and
declared that the dangers to children
living in association with even the
most careful tuberculous patient
should not be lost sight of. The chief
purpose of the association, he said,
is to uca the public as to the best
methods of prevention of this in
fictitious disease and to secure neces-
sary legislation having tits end in
view.
Following Gen. Sternberg, Emile
Berliner, chairman of the committee
on publications, told of the success
which the twelve health rules of the
association had met with, here and
elsewhere. Fifty thousand copies OF
these rules were distributed.
He also reported that the asSOcia'
ton was at work on a book or
hygiene, consisting of twelve chapters
each chapter dealing with one of tn
health rules. Moreover, each chapte.
will be written by a different SAM
tartan, most Of whom are specialist
and members of the board Of direc
tors of the association. The assocla
ton has the hearty approval by MI
Thurston, superintendent of schools
Of the proposed book, copies of whicl
will be distributed among the pupil
of the normal schools and anon
the public school teachers.
DR.. WOOdward's Idea.
DR.. William c. Woodward, healt
officer of the district, discussed the re
lation of the tuberculosis movemen
to the general health problem. ES
planning the apathy OF the pipll
toward this disease, he said:
I'm the evolution of the publ
health movement first one. disease an
then another has commanded the al
tention Of the public. Smalipo1
Asiatic cholera, yellow fever and tn
plague have been types of such dis
eases. They have appealed to tn
public imagination and sympath,
just as the loss Of life in Europe no
makes a similar appeal, because OF TT
acuteness and of the sudden loss
life, suffering and interference wit
commerce which they cause.
Chronic diseases which are alWa!
Nlln us, nave IOl iS 0PPN
so strongly to popular interest. III
sensibilities of the race, like the sens
bilities of an individual, becon
deadened by the continual repetltle
of the same sensation, even though
be a painful one, and mar ma o
come so accustomed to seeing his lie
lows suffering from chronic diseas
and dying from them that he pays l.
tie attention to the matter unless
strikes home to him personally.
Preventive Measures.
General preventive measures we
discussed by DR.. George M. KOBE
president of the National Associate
for the Study and Prevention OF Iu
erculosis. DR.. kober considered I
following as the most important:
l.. Compulsory notification OF cas-
of tuberculosis, so as to enable l
health authorities to locate ana co
troll the sources of the infection,
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