Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-07-13

cases and in following them up daily at
their homes.
TIE ensblng laws in Vermont gave
health officers much power, while the
state provided the funds to care for a
large number OF cases. But the most
fundamental of all laws was that requir-
ing registration, law not closely OBJ
served, for the reports of deaths were
often incomplete. OF the state sanato-
rum for incipent cases at Pittsford DR..
Hatfield said: II don't know of a single
unit in this country that seems to be
quite so complete, well-located, beauti-
fully built, well planned and we'll run
fie advocated county hospitals for adj
vanced cases which in that way
would not he removed far from their
homes. In state like Vermont, in his
opinion, three or four hospitals might
cover the field Of the entire State SO far
as advanced cases were concerned.
Wards for the tuberculous in general hos
pitfalls provided another means for the
care of the sick. The advantage of the
district nurse was that she could gain an
intimate knowledge of case from the in
side.
DR.. f. j. Rogers superintendent of tho
against the white plague lay with the
public, the layman. The physician often
did not report a case as tuberculosis until
he was absolutely sure of his facts DR..
William Lindsay. health officer at Mont
pelier, said that local care of n case was
wisest in advanced stages OF the disease.
A TUBERCULOSIS CAMPAIGN.
Harold w. slocum, spAial lecturer
on tuberculosis for the state board of
health, read an interesting paper on
Methods of Conducting a Tubercu-
losis Campaign" Prevention and Sc
eregation were two of the watchwords
of such campaign. The sick man
often was carelss about his splitting
and failed to guard associates from
infection by himself. He might COM
municate the disease to children, wife.
etc. Registration was necessary be-
cause tuberculosis was a diseae of long
duration, a complete list of such sick
should be made. In Vermont the dis
ease was most prevalent among stone
workers. Mr.. Slocum recommended
that an office be opened for n few
days in the factories and noon hour
talks given and literature distributed
Temporary headquarters also in differ
ent parts of the State might be open
ed for early diagnosis. especially OF
children's condition. Schools should be
clean and sanitary and we'll ventilated
Sobriety itself was a great preventive
of the disease, but continuous educa-
tional campaign was all important and
moving pictures helped much in it,
The board of health had now author
ICED the organization of an auxiliary
association to be known as the Ner-
mont Associa ton for the Prevention
of tuberculosis. charter membership in
which would cost but one dollar Year
ly 800 persons died in Vermont from
the disease and the fight must be a
general one.
DR.. J. w. Stewart. health officer al
Barre. said that Barre provided one
tenth of the tuberculosis mortality ir
Vermont. DR.. w. n. Bryant, health Of
ficer at Ludlow, declared that there
were now 1900 anti-tuherculosis socie
ties. 500 sanatoriums. 1900 dspensaries
500 open air schools, 1000 nurses ant
| 100. 600 anti tuberculosis workers in the
country. The campaign had sprung VI
almost in the last 10 years. DR. Charlie!
S. Caverly. president of the State board
said it was to be regretted that only .,
per cent. of the space in the State hos
pital was given up to the disease.
SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE.
, DR.. r. r. Stone, director of the Stat,
Laboratory Of Hygiene read an illum
mating paper on Tuberculosis Men
nights as Distinguished from Infantil.
Paralysis" The latter was a. form o
the disease that was more fatal thai
any other: only "a authentic cases ha'
completely recovered. tuberculosis will
acute anterior poliomyelists and men
nights was frequently confused will
acute meningitis, Most often the disea s.
was a complication of generalizet
tuberculosis" and was the "termina
event. in Is to 60 per cent. of chill
dren's cases in which other organ
were affected. One distinguishing sym
ptom was that the temperature wa
rarely very high
DIR. J. w. Estabrook health office
at Brandon, spoke very briefly of
small epidemic which had occurred il
Brandon.