South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-07
Shows Need of Workers to
Wage tuberculosis War

there can be no progress The func- !
ton Of the anti-tuberculosis society
in this particular was emphasized and
il was shown that even though the
society might have as little as $50
year 10 spend in its campaign, mucn /
could be accomplished. The use OF
posters. literature and Of lectures was
shown 20 be followed by interest on
the part Of the public. The work OF
the anti-tuberculosis society IS not
necessarily ~ provide for the care OF
patients with tuberculosis but also 10
instruct the public.
The influence Of bad housing and OF
unfortunate industrial conditions in
the spread Of tuberculosis was shown.
Tells of Causes.
Mrs Albion Fellows Bacon OF
Evansville. Ind. spoke on the question
Of housing Mrs Fellows is given
credit for the passag &c OF me Indiana
housing law Of 1913, providing for
the construction Of Sanitary tenement {
houses. tuberculosis and its close as
sociation with insanitary houses was
also shown hv other speakers. Inject I
ed houses. badly ventilated houses,
all these favor the spread of tuber
culosis. In Evansville, Mrs Bacon
told us they had instituted proceed
ings and We're condemning and de-
molishing many insanitary houses.
They have taken advantage Of pro-
vision Of the law which makes this
possible. There are many Old houses
and places. hardly possible 20 call
houses, in South Bend and ii would be
a God-send If they were abolished.
Simply because some of these shacks
bring in a few dollars as rental, is no
excuse for their being permitted 10
continue q menace 10 the health and
happiness of the unfortunates who
| feel that they must occupy them, be-
cause they can afford no better.
A newspaper man told of the weekly
tuberculosis column he was running
/ in his paper. lie has a column every
Monday morning and ne invites any
\ who are interested III the subject OF
| tuberculosis to write him and he
I answers these inquiries. when it is
possible for him 10 do so. In case
, he is unable 10 answer the questions,
| he refers them TO an epert on tuDer-
culOsis and thus secures answers for
his correspondents. The press is and
has been potent factor in the fight
against disease A few years ago it
was unusual to read health talks, and
articles Of the kind.
Newspapers Big Help.
Today. the newspa' rs are giving
publicity 10 health retl rms and they
are certainly doing great service
for their readers. One of the speak
ers at the conference advanced argu-
/ ments to the effect that boards Of
I health and anti-tuberculOsis societies
/ should carry paid ads in the papers
/ Personally, this appeals To me as a
! legitimate and reasonable expenditure
! of public or society funds. Informa-
! ton and service, these are the things
! these societies and health depart
/ ments have to offer the public.
! The relation to improving the phys
/ ical welfare of children and the pre-
venti- of tuberculosis was discussed
j Medical examination of school chill
\ dren and the prevention of tubercu-
/ losis was discussed. Medical examin-
/ alton of school children was urged.
: open air schools for tuberculous chill
{ dren and fresh air schools for non
/ tuberculCuS children were advocated.
Where these open air schools are in.
operation it has been found that the
children gain in weight, are able TO
] keep up with their work and in every
! way are improved. The open air
school not only provides for the open
air school room but these children
are supervised with reference to feed
ing, clothing, exercise and rest. There
is need OF open air school facilities
in South Bend. Some time ago | was
asked concerning the need OF an open
| air school in South Bend and / then
felt it impractical and that it would
be most difficult 10 eSta blish and
maintain one i'm South Bend But.
continued investigation has Convinced
me that there is need of such a school
in Our city and / believe the day is
not far distant when some of these
pale, week, anemic youngsters L see
| in our schools will be given the ad-
vantage of the open air school.
Education Needed.
| The greatest problem with refer
ence TO tuberculosis remains unsoVed.
The care and supervision of the ad-
vanced case of tuberculosis is abso-
| lutely essential before much progress
| can be made in stamping out this dis
ease. The patient with tuberculosis,
living at home or possibly working at
/ "a shop or going 10 school can spread
more tuberculosis i'm a week than we
can take care of at our local hospital
| In a year. This great problem is so
vast and difficult that il will require
time and much agitation before real
and euectual control can be exercised
over the advanced cases
Many OF them can be taught how
20 protect those around them In a
properly conducted tuberculosis hos
pital there is not as much danger of
contracting tuberculosis as there is on
the street or i'm a theater At the
hospital the patients are taught and