The Prescott daily news. (Prescott, Ark.) 1907-1941, 1918-12-14

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Washington, ID. C.-(SpeciaI)-
cOrding TO Il report made to the United
States Public Health Service, the cpl
demiC Of influenza in Spain has al
ready caused an increase in the preva-
lenCe and deaths from pulmonary tu-
berCuloSis. similar association be-
tween influenza and tuberculosis was
recently made by Sir Arthur News
holme, 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
ed 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
Experience seems to Indicate" says
the Surgeon General. that persons
whose resistance has been weakened
by an attack of influenza are peculiar
~ 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 "In my opinion !
Ii is, though | hasten to add IL Is dis |
-tinefly one against which the people !
can guard. So far as one can estimate |
there are at present about one million |
cases 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 that /
most Of the states have made the dis |
ease reportabIe. Ia New York city, |
where reporting has been In force for |
many years, over $4,000 cases of tu- |
herCuloSis are registered with the De !
partment 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
yey conducted during the past two
years in Framingham, Mass, revealed
200 cases of tuberculosis in pOpula-
ton of approximately $4,000. If these
proportions hold true for the United
States as q whole they would indicate
shat about one In every hundred per-
sons is tuherCulous. Each of these
constitutes a source of danger to be
guarded against"
What to Do
In his statement to tie public Sur
geon General Blue points out how
those who have had influenza should
protect themselves against tubercuo-
sis. "All who have recovered from In
fiuen2S," says she Surgeon General,
should have their lungs carefully ex-
amined by competent physician. In
fact, 1t is desirable to have several e1-
aminatiOns made month apart. Such
examinations cannot be made through
the clothing nor can they be carried
out in two or three minutes. If the
lungs are found to be free from tuber-
culOsis every effort should be made to
Keep them SO. This can he done by
right living, good food and plenty Of
fresh air"
Danger Signs
The Surgeon General warned espe-
s.ially against certain danger signs,
such as decline" and "colds which
hang on"
These, he explained, were often the
beginning OF tuberculosis IF you do
not get well promptly, IL your cold
seems TO hang on or your health and
decline, rememh'