Omaha daily bee., 1917-08-05
TUBERCULOSIS AND
GREAT WORLD WAR
Association for Prevention Of
Dread Disease Plans for
Increased Activities at
Home During Strife.
By MRS. K. R. ]. EDHoLM.

by MIND n. N J. EDI1SLm'
Chairman Anti tuberculosis Depart
ment Public Health General FEEDER
alton Woman's Clubs.
At the annual meeting of the Ma
tional Association for the Study and
Prevention of Tuberculosis held in
Cincinnati in May of the present year,
the subject of tuberculosis war
measures received a large share of
attention by way of discussion, in
papers and through the adoption of
a resolution outlining the policy of
the association at the request of the
National Council of Defense.
Briefly it is asked of tuberculosis
workers, both lay and professional,
that they remain at their posts and
not only continue, but add to their
activities in order that the tuber-
culosis experience of the United
States may not lie parallel to that Of
France and Belgium. 1t has been
said that if the war should cease to-
day France would not only find it.
self with 100000 crippled, but with
a second 100000 tuberculous; and it
should be remembered that the
Tinted States is now engaging in the
same war with the same risks.
AS women who have pledged to
give every service to our country we
cannot disregard this pressing call.
We are urged to persuade physicians,
expert in diagnosis, and special tu-
berculosis nurses to refrain from en-
listing for war service for the sufi-
cient reason that they are not as much
needed at the front as here at home.
n other words tuberculosis being a
preventable disease, its spread in the
trenches must be prevented. Men
with latent tuberculosis or a tendency
thereto must be kept from enlisting,
for the records of France and Bel
gium and the latest observation
among Canadian troops invalided
home leaves no room for doubt that
tuberculosis as a factor in war must
Lave immediate and untiring atten-
ton.
Teach Lay Women.
We can help by urging medical
students, graduate physicians, nurses
and social workers to specialize in
tuberculosis and, by creating a class
of intelligent lay women to supple
ment the work of graduate nurses
through educational labors among
the tuberculous and the pre-tubercu-
lous. In effect. we must, as tubercu-
losis fighters, cease to be mere sani-
tary engineers and literally become
detectives hunting down with the
nose of sleuth this disease which
with few exceptions is the worst Sc
creted disease we know. For tuber-
culosis fighters this new responsibility
is no sinecure. With France and,
Belgium actually in the tolls, with
England only just realizing the need
Of prevention, with our best medical
help going to the front, with insuffi-
sient sanatorium accommodations at
home to care for the tuberculous of
the civil population, the chances we
have OF protecting our enlisted men
are slim indeed.
Great Task Ahead.
For us, the stay-at-homes, remains
Inc diihcult task OF creating public
sentiment sufficiently strong to urge
private individuals. recruits, recruit
FRS, our government, and all educa-
tional media to recognize this disease
IS definite menace and an actual fac
tor in war economy. The Rockefeller
Foundation is sending a commission
abroad to organize France education
ally against tuberculosis. II remains
Tor US to refrain from feeding into the
general hopper the material which will
Only serve TO make more difficult this
repair work being done in France. 1t
Is said that no man should be re-
cruited who is not fit to survive q
prison camp. The tuberculosis record
OF prison camps is a sickening one.
II my son is not definitely cleared OF
the suspicion of tuberculosis at enlist
ment, he must remain under observa-
tion until he is cleared, not only for
his own sake and mine, but because
your son, who may be his trench
mate, has right to absolute protec-