The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-12-03
TUBERCULOSIS; ITS
CAUSE AND PREVENTION

(By Oklahoma State Board Of Foal'hl
During the period beginning De-
cember 5 and ending December II,
there will be statewide discussion IN
Oklahoma concerning the cause pre-
yention and cure OF tuberculosis
Similarly, throughout the United
States meetings will be held, sermons
preached, addresses delivered and ar
ticles printed in newspapers in be-
half of this great national movement
to eradicate tuberculosis, prevent
able disease, that more than any
other is sapping the vitality Of the
American people, decreasing their
earning capacity. their happiness, and
their productivity. increasing their
poverty, and limiting their capacity
to enjoy the blessings OF life.
1t is unimaginable that there should
be a single person in Oklahoma who
will not pause during this coming
week and give serious thought to
this great movement for escape from
one of civilized society's greatest
enemies. There is not man, wom-
an or child in Oklahoma whose per
sonal welfare, both now and for fu-
ture time, is not involved in the sue
cess or failure of this attempt to
conquer tuberculosis, just as yellow
fever and cholera have been CON
quered AS individuals they may be
sound in health and sound in body,
but none can tell at what moment
they may become obligated through
kinship or friendship or just the ordi-
nary ties of humanity to care for
some person who has become the vic
tim Of tuberculosis.
The underlying purpose Of this at
tack upon tuberculosis contemplates
the prevention of this disease, no less
than it does the cure of those who
have acquired It, Happily, science
has shown that tuberculosis is a pre-
ventable disease, if proper precau-
ton is taken from hygienic and san
itary standpoints. No less cheering
Is the demonstrated fact that tuber-
culosis may be cured if proper treat
ment is begun at the right time.
and continued until recovery. Hope
lessness and despair need no longer
cast down any person afflicted with
tuberculosis if their case is taken
in hand at the right time and han
died in the right way.
The people of this country will not
be permitted longer to dodge such
questions as the prevention of tuber-
culosis, or to shift responsibility be-
cause they are too busy or too in
different. The present battle against
tuberculosis in the United States be-
gan no further back than 1900. 1t
is incredible that with our boasted
civilization, we have engaged only
fifteen years in systematic attempt
to control this scourge. We have
talked for decades about higher
learning" responsibilities of govern
ment," and taxed our wits about how
to make two blades of grass grow
where there was only one, and all
the while have done nothing to shoot
down this white-fanged wolf of tu-
berculosis that has skulked at the
doorway of every home. There is
hope that tuberculosis soon may be
as amenable to scientific treatment as
diphtheria, for example, has become
Most persons,-at least mothers,-re-
member the time when the appear
ance of diphtheria in the family was
regarded with no less terror than the
appearance of death itself. But the
antitoxinc treatment has changed all
this.
The federal government is doing eX-
cellent work in this campaign against
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