The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-07-29
CLINICS SHOW MANY
HAVE TUBERCULOSIS.

aga last week show that many are
afflicted with the dread disease.
The figures are as follows:-
Baraga-Persons examined, 40; Posi-
tive cases of tuberculosis, IL; suspicious
cases, II, cases Of tuberculosis which
have been arrested, 8, those examined
not having disease, 20.
L'Anse-Examined, II; Positive
cases, II; suspicious. cases, Ia, cases
arrested, 4; those without tuberculosis.
Sc.
The free examinations held should
mean more to the people of this county
than the mere finding out how extensive
the disease is here, according to DR..
William DeKleine.
when we 20 into a county to make
these free examination" he said, 1--WE
try of course to make the work as
thorough as it can possibly be made.
But even at its best we cannot hope to
begin to find all the cases of the disease
in any given county. In covering the
whole state with it's eighty-three coun-
ties in less than two years we can give
only very brief time to each county,
and the best that can usually be hoped
for is to indicate to q community how
serious the situation with reference to
tuberculosis is there. The real results
must consist in work that each COM
munity does for itself.
'There is not county in Michigan
that begins to do as much for curbing
this and other preventable diseases as
should be done. The counties in the
upper peninsula are not behindhand;
they are rapidly waking up to the
necessity Of active measures, but much
more can be done. This county, to-
gether with all other counties in the
state, should have a well-organized
county health department. This coun-
ty moreover should chip in with other
counties in this section of the state and
erect an adequately equipped tubercu-
losis sanatorium, where patients can be
taken care of when the disease is still
in its early stages.
"Public health everywhere should
receive more attention than 1t is re-
ceiving today. Only by adopting meas
ures of defense against disease can the
people Of this state hope to wage q
successful war against tuberculosis and
other preventable diseases"
Many people have perhaps asked the
question in the course of the anti-tuber-
culosis campaign, "Why make so much
ado about this particular disease? Why
not give some attention to pneumonia,
heart disease, cancer, Bright's disease,
and to other maladies that annually
kill thousands of people?" And that
question is legitimate one. If there
is no clearcut answer to it the whole
movement would rest under the indict-
ment of playing favorites. 0
But in summing up there is very
good and very sufficient answer to this
question. The forces of health organ
ization work are directed in strong
phalanx against tuberculosis in partic-
ular because of the fact that by hitting
at tuberculosis the health workers are
in reality hitting at many of the other
diseases that are like a scourge upon
men. In the fight against tuberculosis
the gospel Of right living is the one
gospel on which the workers depend
for success; and right living is safe
guard against the attacks of practically
all diseases.
If tuberculosis could be treated with
medicine, as some of the other diseases
can be, it would stand on par with
them and there would be no valid excuse
for directing all the energies against it
and saying nothing about ths others.
But the only way to fight tuberculosis
is to fight it with the weapons that
nature provides for the development Of
strong bodies. And learning the proper
use Of these weapons constitutes in.
formation that is fundamental-inform-
alton that will help man and woman
and child to live as 1t 10 intended they
should live, that will help them to be
as nearly ~ possible one hundred per-
cent Efficient.
There are other reasons why the
emphasis placed on the fight against
tuberculosis is justified. For one thing.
consumption ID . social danger to .
much greater degree than pneumonia,
cancer, etc. Many Of the other diseases
attack the individual and they make
him only to minor degree amenace to
others. And while II II to the advant-
age Of the individual to fight them, they
do not affect society in . large way.
But with tuberculosis the case II diff
ferent. This disease 10 che concern Of
all, those who are well and those who
are iii. II is society's business to fight
consumption in order to protect itself.
That il why Michigan ~ : state il
fighting Il. The war on Tuberculosis,
in whatever form it comes, in far
sighted and wise move. And there Il