Newark post., 1915-04-21
ELIMINATING THE
"CREAT WHITE PLAGUE"
OPEN AIR SCHOOLS ADVOCATED

life coupled with an abundance of
good food and other hygienic mea-
.sures, will cure a large percent
age of those afflicted with well-de-
veloped phthisis. Is it unreason-
able to assume that the above
mentioned manner of living will
prevent our babies and young
children from contracting tuber-
culosis?
Is it not our duty as physicians
to see that these helpless little
creatures have the advantages Of
this out-of door life? Is it not
our duty as citizens to see that the
children of the masses have this
out-of door life from birth, so that
they will grow up strong and ro-
bust citizens, sound in body and
sound in mind, able and willing to
support or defend the state, rather
than to die before maturity, or be-
come chronic invalids, cripples, or
maniacs, to be supported by the
state.
Therefore let us all use our in
fluence for the open-air life for
everyone, and especially for our
babies and small children.
For the last twenty years in this
state the mortality from tubercu-
losis has been about ten per cent
of all deaths due to disease. Be-
fore that time the mortality was
considerably greater. This shows
that we are now making very little
progress in eradicating this dis
ease. The progress was made over
twenty years ago when the open
air treatment was first adopted.
The aim of that treatment was to
cure or benefit those cases so af
flicted with the disease that they
were disabled for the active duties
of life.
The open-air treatment or sani-
tarium treatment has done much
good, by curing some cases, by
benfting and prolonging the life
of Others and also has been use
full in teaching patients how to
care for themselves and in i'm
pressing upon everyone the truth,
that the main essential in the
treatment of tuberculosis is out
of-door life, suitable food, and
right living.
The results of the open-air
treatment have shown, that the
early cases do much better than
the advanced; and that a consid-
cradle number of the early cases
get entirely we'll, while the ad-
vanced cases improve, but seldom
recover.
AS suggested above the mortal
= ity of this disease has remained
about the same for the last twen-
: ty years, Notwithstanding that a
: great many public and private
sanitariums have been built in
7 this state, where the open-air rest
t and good food method of treat
} ment has been pursued with vigol
r and with very encouraging re-
: suits. The fault lies in the fact
that this method does not reach
e the masses, and does not reach the
c victim of the disease at the periot
S most favorable for cure. Many Of
0 the cases are not diagnosed unit
s it is too late to help them. Pow
t erty, ignorance, neglect, ant
thoughtlessness or inattention OF
: the part of the parents are largel.
: responsible for this condition.
A great deal of money, time ant
t energy, are now being spent b.
private individuals, by charitabl
: societies, homes, ETC., to remed.
:, this condition. Still the mortalit,
e remains the same. Therefore w
must look for another plan
s plan that will reach the masses
and at time when the victim i
: amenable to treatment. AS owe
p ninety per cent of all childrel
e have, or have had tuberculosis be
f fore they are twelve years old, w
l. will have to begin with them. A
all, or nearly all, children com
e mence going to school at age
l. ranging from four to seven years
f and as they then become wards O
e the state, it will be very easy fo
the state to adopt any method O
'e educating them, that seems bes
ir for their physical and mental dc
l. velopment.
e. Ten years ago an open air re
,e covery school was opened in Gel
j. many, and was followed by sue
Il remarkable results that the move
n ment soon spread to the large
n cities of the more progressive n;
",