The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-01-02
THE PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENT
CURE AND PREVENTION
OF TUBERCULOSIS
BY J. FRANK WALLIS. M. D.

The possibility of consumption be-
ing CONTAGIOUS vas not appreciated
before the advent of DR.. Koch's dis
covery of the germ that caused the
disease. The constant presence of
this bacillus in all cases of tuberculo-
sis was corroborated by other scien-
tific men and it's identity became es-
tablished. Prior to this event, con-
sumption had been considered fatal
to its victim, but not dangerous to
others. The patient was permitted
to be careless and Indifferent in his
habits, and splitting on the floor of his
home and in public places, although
considered a filthy habit, was not
strictly prohibited. The discovery that
a germ was the cause of the disease
started the crusade which has spread
throughout the whole civilized world.
The consumptive, from a position of
sympathy and pity, became an object
of danger; was viewed as an outcast,
avoided by his friends and feared by
his relatives. Hospitals ever refused
to receive him in their wards. This
frenzied condition, fortunately, did not
last long. Conservative men SOC dis
covered that, although consumption
was infectious, it was preventable;
that the atmosphere of a consump-
tive was not polluted, and that he
could live in peace with his family,
or reside in a hospital, without dam
ger to others, provided that his spu-
tum or spittle should be destroyed.
| could tell OF many pathetic instances
| have witnessed where patients not
only suffered the fortunes that are
associated with the disease itself, but
were abandoned by their friends. One
striking case is worthy of citation:
A Clergyman called my attention to
a young girl who had married during
the Spanish war, her husband being
shortly afterwards sent to Manila.
She received several letters from him,
but suddenly he ceased to write.
Worriment affected her health; a
cough that had lasted for some time
became worse, and, not having suffi-
Gent means to provide proper nour-
ishment for herself, she became an
object of charity. She was compel
led to live in an attic and she became
so ill that she could not leave her
bed. The neighbors, hearing that she
itdu O1toullIDIlO1 1CdlCo " SO llOCA
her, and passed the food to her by
placing it upon the floor near the
door, compelling the girl to crawl to
it when she was hungry, the dishes
never being removed for fear of con-
tagion. She had not been visited or
seen by any n except the clergyman.
| visited her on a hot summer day,
and found around the door a number
of dishes, some not emptied, the food
on them being decomposed. The
room was full of flies; the odor was
unbearable, and in the middle of the
floor was the unfortunate girl lying
on a mattress in the midst of filth.
She was covered with bed sores and
was too weak to help herself. | had
her removed to the Henry Phipp's In
s%titute, where she was given a bath,
some clean linen and "a comfortable
bed, and supplied with suitable nour-
ishment. Here she enjoyed the kind
ness of those good nurses, and med
ical skill when needed. She died a
week later, a different death from
that she would have experienced if
she had not been rescued. l have
frequently been asked of what use
was a hospital for consumption if the
death record was so high, and | us
ually answer by telling this story.
Proper environment is one Of the
means of prevention. When a pa
tient is taken to a hospital of this
kind, he is prevented from injecting
others, and the house he has left is
Immediately d~isinfected, so that it is
no longer a menace to health.
One rule that the patient should OBJ
serve is: Do not spit on the floor of
your homes nor in public places, es-
pecially on the sidewalk, as the spu-
tum will dry and become dust, when
it will be inhaled by others, or while
still moist, it can be carried by the
shoes and dresses to the homes. This
rule should be observed by every one,
for few of US know whether or not
our sputum contains bacilli:. at the
same time we avoid setting a bad ex-
ample to others. Splitting in rags is
not safe for often they are allowed to
get dry before they are burned,
and when the spittle becomes dust it
is dangerous. There are paper spit
cups made for the purpose which will
not leak or spill, and they may be
carried in the pocket. These may be
purchased at any drug store, and are
supplied by the state ~dispensaries
free. They should be burned when
full. A china cuspidor may be used
by keeping in it a solution Of I've
covering the bottom. Always use a
paper napkin when you cough or
sneeze and always use your own
drinking cup, knife and fork.