The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-10
PREvENTIVEFOR
TUBERCUL 0SIS IN
ARMY IS PLANNED
Drastic Measures Will Be
Adopted by Commission
for Government.

Cincinnati, O.. May 10.-Drastic
measures for the control of tubercu-
losis in the United States army are
recommended by the Committee of
three appointed by the National As
ISOLATION for the Study and Proven
ton of tuberculosis at the request of
the Council Of National Defense. Some
of the details of the committees plans
were given here last night by the
chairman, DIR. Hermann M. Biggs, New
York State Commissioner of Health,
speaking before the annual meeting
of the National Association The 9TH
er members of the Committee are Dr.
George M. Kober, of Washington, and
DIR. Charles J. Hatfield, of Philadel-
phia.
Speaking of conditions in the ar
mics of Europe. DR.. Biggs said: 1.-The
conditions in France, where accurate
Information is available, are appal-
ling. 1t is estimated that not less
than 10000 soldiers hvae been dis
charged from the army because Of the
development of active pulmonary tu-
berculosis Such information as is
available seems to show that the con-
ditions are the same in other coun-'
tries, excepting only England, and are
particularly grave in Austria-H Hun
gary and Russia. We are also in
formed that the Canadian troops have
suffered severely in this respect
''The incidence of the disease in the
British forces has been much less than
in the other countries involved in the
war, owing to the deliberate mobiliza-
tio,, re fho british orr,x, tho
examination required, and the great
suspicious histories or with symptoms
as well as the low incidence of the dis
ease among the civil population of
Great Britain previous to the war.
Experience in Europe seems to
have shown quite clearly that all of
the diseases which. formerly were
greatly dreaded in war, such as ty-
phoid and typhus fever. smallpox,
cholera. epidemic dysentery, etc, can
be readily controlled by modern pre-
,ventive measures"
Tuberculosis, he said. was one Of the
diseases that have taken the chief
place in producing disability, among
the troops in the field. DIR. Biggs
O0CldTto lll1L lie lIlSdSQI SS doOP6So "
prevent the introduction and develop
'ment of tuberculosis among American
troops could not be too stringent.
Such measures he believed would
spare the United States the great loss
great loss in men and energy which
other countries have suffered.
''In the opinion of this committee"
L. -
Corps of the Army could be much ia
cilitated and exploited and this corps
already greatly overworked--could
be given much needed assistance, if
the services of voluntary experts in
tuberculosis were employed in various
parts of the country in the examina-
ton of those recruits for the army
who show any signs or symptoms sug-
gestive Of pulmonary disease. or in
whom the history indicates its possible
existence.
"The Committee has made inquiries
and will be able to furnish the War
Department with. a list of large
number of voluntary qualified experts
of this character.
1--WE are of the opinion from our
own experiences and our interpreta-
LlOn OIL expert OQlL1oa III tIAiS lldItCi,
as wen as from the experience of the
armies, in Europe, that any man with
even very limited amount Of pull
! monary tuberculosis which is latent or
arrested is almost certain to break
down under the physical strain of mill
| itary training and army life and To-
Gus, of disease previously latent or
arrested will almost certainly become
active.
Systematic and complete. periodic
| re- examinations should be made of
all troops within three months after
enrolment and at intervals of three
months thereafter.
"The Committee also recommends
that an educational campaign on mat
| tiers relating to the conservation of
the health Of our troops be carried
on in connection with all military
| training camps"