Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-27
a Cure for tuberculosis.

A. the recent North Atlantic tuberculosis confer
ence it was stated that the white plague has taken
SOC ooo lives in this country the last four years
Reading this item thousands OF people once more
will be prompted to say Too bad they can't find
cBra for it, thereby unconsciously revealing one Oh
the main reasons why the disease continues 70 TAKE
such heavy toll Of human life.
ne course there is a cure for tuberculosis
diagnosis. rest sufficient food and fresh air-and
,1z,,aIIv the results may be made permanent II the
s-ent has the means and the will to discard wrong
habits OF living.
What people have in mind however, when they
sneak Of a cure for consumption is a speciho-
preferab1v something bought by the bottle and taken
with a spoon and which will work its wonders auto
r1atjcaly the patients responsibilities being limited
n following directions and paying the bill
m course there is no known cure of that sort and
Il j. doubtful if one ever will be discovered. And
# does not really matter so much many think
whether or not one is found
Educational efforts SO far made seem to have
largely failed Of their purpose to impress the popu-
lar mind with the fact that there certain very
specirc causes of tuberculosis which, when under
ttood NAV be avoided almost easily as taking
medicine with a spoon. The disease has been re
ferred to as the result of condition of physical
bankruptcy Those who fall victim to it do so be-
cause their bodily resistance has been weakened
most often by overwork, starvation, excuses or a
combination OF similar causes. Tubercle bac sell
dom or never flourish in a normally vigorous indi-
vduaI
As matter of fact, human responsibility, indi-
viduauy or in the mass is involved in the causes
Of physical bankruptcy to about the extent as
it is in the causes Of financial insolvency and trying
to find specific remedy is about futile in
as in the other There and probably always will be
individuals who waste their vitality recklessly
others waste their material wealth Not always are
they to blame for some in both classes are victims
OF circumstances which they cannot control. Re-
FponsibIty then falls society
When a state of physical bankruptcy is created
disease most often tuberculosis comes to put end
to the debauch Thus is the limit marked no less DEF
nitely than the laws of land and business prac-
tce fix the status of the financially insolvent
The best safeguard against tuberculosis is a thor
ough appreciation Of its dangers and knowledge Of
how TO avoid them. The sort of cure that many
people long for might save those already afflicted,
but it would certainly lessen the wholesome
fear that fmpels unaffected of them
selves In the long is doubtful if the percent
Of mortality would be greatly reduced 1t is too
much to hope for any cure which will give permanent
immunity in the face OF continued wrong habits OF
living Even if one were found it would only defer
the day Of reckoning. for the white plague merely
the outpost of an endless chain of ills, of which
inevitably will claim the Individual who persstenty
disrcgards natures laws.
Evolving a cure for the white plague might be
quite achievement for science but from the stand
point Of practical benefit it certainly would be dis
appointing