Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-13
DR.. DIXON FOUGHT
TUBERCUL 0SlS


Or. Samuel G.. Dixon, lately deceased,
was the first state commissioners Of pub
lie health in Pennsylvania: TO MN Is
due IN large part the excellent record OF
PENNSYLVANIA in prevention CT tupercu-
losis and the care of those affected. MOUNT
Alto and Cressin Sanitarium are monu-
ments to him.
Fight Against White Plague.
The great tuberculosis work Of the De-
paltment, which has put PennsylVanla
in unique place with regard to relief
from ftthe great white plague" was be-
gun in 1907 The first years complete fig
IIras from the new Bureau OF Vital Sta
iistirs had revealed the fact that during
HE Mear IF 1895 there had been 1862
deaths from tuberculosis. DIR. Dixon, on
account of his special interest IN tuber-
cuiosis, had awaited these figures with
more than ordinary interest. Ihey gave
him a definite weapon he could use. He
went to Governor Stuart with them and
outlined a plan for lighting tuberculosis
on a large scale, pointing out that at that
time the state contributed only S77,500 in
combating il. The scheme was worked
out and had the unusual distinction OF
being pledged as a plank in the Republt-
can platform that year.
A system Of free tuberculosis dispens-
aries was started under the first appro
priation. The patients come TO the dis
pensaFies or are visited in their homes
by the nurses. They receive free medical
treatment and q prescribed amount of
milk, eggs or oil daily, where they can
not afford proper food There is at least,
one dispensaly in each county, and in
the more populous ones, two or three.
They number 116 at the present time,
Handled Relief Work.
One of the most spectacular achieve
nents DR. Dixon ever put to the Health
Departments credit was his handling of
the relief work at the Austin flood in
1911, when the Department was fully
equipped and capable of handling any en-
ergGncy that came along.
On Sept. 30, 1911, the dam at Austin,
little borough in Potter County, sud-
denly went OUT There were enormous
humber piles and in half an hour the val
ley of Freemans Run from Austin to
Costello. a few miles below where the val
ley Widened out, was raging torrent in
churched UP what was left of Austin and
its people.
Telegraph communication was cut off at
once as telegraph poles were swept away
but the news finally got through to the
outside Norld, DIR Dixon got it early in
the evening. Within a couple of hours
he had the governors authority to take
charge of the situation and a special train
was being made up at Harrisburg. Mer-
chants were brought from their homes to
open their stores so that supplies of blan-
1lets, mattresses, food, etc, could be OBJ
tanned Health Department employees were
summoned from all directions With in
'structions where to connect with the train
and when the train got under way 1T had
Oh apOdtQ Id UocCoTS, D sanitary engineers
and Il nurses, each one having had the
benefit of the Departments training and
experience.
Within sixteen hours of the breaking of
the dam Austin had relief that was or
aganiZed and effective. by the night of the
second day DIR. Dixon had 300 men on the
Department payroll who were engaged in
clearing away the awful wrecl1age, I'M
der which We're the bodies of those who
had persisted. State constabulary troop
ers were put at his disposal and a con-
dition very like martial law prevailed Or.
Dixon was tireless in directing the work
and the only time he would eat or sleep
WIS when his chief doctor or head nurse
resolutely led him from the scene of the
work
On the third day Governor Tener and
Adjutant General Stewart visited the
scene. On the same train with them ar
rived Red Cross commissioner who had
been sent from Washington to aid in the
work He took a good look around, said
to DR.. Dixon, This is the best organ
ICED relief work ] ever saw" and then
took the next train back.