Graham guardian., 1918-12-20
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Washington, d. C.-(Special.)-
cor,lng to report made 10 the United
States Public Health Service, the cpl.
demic of influenza In Spain has al.
ready caused an Increase in the preva.
lerce and deuths from pulmonary III.
bcrculcsis. A similar association be.
tween influenza and tuberculosis was
recently made by Sir Arthur News.
hOinr. the chief medical officer of the
English public health service, In his
analysis Of the tuberculosis death rate
In England
In order that the people Of the Unit.
ell States may profit by the experience
of other countries Surgeon General
Rupert Blue of the United States Pub
lie Health Service has just Issued a
warning emphasizing the need of spe-
cial precautions at the present time.
"EXpericnce seems to Indicate" says
the Surgeon General, that persons
by an attack of influenza are peculiar.
ly susceptible to tuberculosis. With
millions of its people recently affected
with influenza this country now Of.
fers conditions favoring the spread of
tuberculosis"
One Million Consumptives In the
United States.
"Thcn you consider this a serious
menace" was asked. I'm my opinion
II Is, though hasten to ndd |, Is dis.
tinctly one against which the people
Gun guard SO far as one can estimate
there are al present about one million
cnses Of tuberculosis In the United
States. There is unfortunately no
complete census available to show ex-
actly the number of tuberculosis per-
sons In each state despite the fact thnt
most of the states have made the dis.
ease reportable. In New York city,
where reporting has been In force for
many years, over $1,000 cases of tn.
berrulosis are registered with tn, De-
purtment of Health. Those familiar
with the situation believe that The ad.
ditIon of unrecognized and unreported
cases would make the number nearer
$4,000. The very careful health sur
vey conducted during the past lwo
years in birmingham, Mass, revealed
200 cases of tuberculosis In a poptlla.
tion Of approximately $4,000. II these
proportions hold true for the United
EtntcS as a whole they would indicate
that about one in every hundred per-
sons Is tuberculous. Each of these
constitutes source of danger to be
guarded against"
What to %.
In his statement to the public BUR
geon General Blue points out how
those who have had influenza should
protect themselves against tuberculo-
sis. IAN who have recovered from In
fiuenza,' says the Surgeon General,
"shOuld have their lungs carefully ex-
amined by competent physician. In
fact, II is desirable to have several ex-
aminatiOns made a month apart. Such
examinations cannot be made through
the clothing nor can they be carried
out in two or three minutes. II the
lungs nre found to he free from tuber-
culosls every effort should be made to
keep them so. This can be done by
right living, good food and plenty Of
fresh air"
Danger Signs.
The Surgeon General warned espe.
einlly against certain danger signs,
such rs decline" and "colds which
hang on"
These, he explained, were often the
beginning Of tuberculosis. "1f you do
not get well promptly, II your cold
seems to hang on or your health and
strength decline, remember that these
are often the early signs Of tubcrculo-
sis. Place yourself at once under tho
care Of competent physician. Tuber.
culosis Is durable In the early stages.
Patent Medicines Dangerous In Tuber.
culosIs.
"Above all do not trust In the mis-
lending statements Of INSCRIPTIONS
patent medicine takers. There is no
specific medicine for the cure OF tuber-
culosls. The money spent on such
medicines Is thrown away; II should
be spent instead for good food and de.
rant living"