Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-04

w has it's plague, and in this one it is-tubercu-
w losis.
This disease, which has been one of man worst
Affections for centuries, is reported to be gain
ing alarming Roadway in France. Estimates con-
corning it's victims are startling, but fortunately,
they vary. Some assert that half million people
have tuberculosis in France, while others claim
that $50 900 French soldiers have already been
discharged from the army on account of the dis
ease; that there still many incipient cases to
be weeded out, and that 110, 900 exist among
the civilian population.
At any rate, the French government is strug-
Cling with the problem of establishing tubercu-
loss homes and sanitariums aided by tubercu-
loss commission from the Rockefeller foundation
and the American Red Cross. So the above stats
tics are probably greatly exaggerated.
With American soldiers pouring into France as
fast as ships bring them, this widespread pre-
valence of tuberculosis is problem for Americans
as vel as for the French The United States govern
ment, through it's medical department, will do all
that it can protect it's fighting men, but In the
meantime their greatest safeguard is thorough
understanding or the disease itself. They must
know the risk they take and know how to protect
themselves.
Pulmonary tuberculosis, which is the form the
disease is taking among such great numbers In
France is no longer considered nearly incurable
it Taken in the early stages indeed
medical men believe that it is one of the easily
cured diseases; otherwise, most of us would be
short-lived, because time in his life almost
everybody has tuberculosis. This theory is Daseo
a number of autopsies performed by certain
physician, which showed that between the ages
of eighteen and thirty, 90 per cent of the cases
bore evidence of tuberculosis
The tubercular bacilli are all about us IN sucn
overwhelming numbers that it would be strange
if some of them did not enter every human system.
Whether get the disease or not depends largely
upon what the human system does to them me
healthy individual is equipped with various agen-
cies for destroying these bacilh For example, the
mucous membrane of the nose has germ-klllns
property; the white corpuscies in the blood, IN
health, hold the fort against the attacks OF all as
ease bacteria, and the stomach is also PROVIDED
with secretons that destroy tubercular germs en-
tering the system through the digestive tract
Hence, the greatest safeguard against tubercu-
losis is to keep healthy. A bruise or sore in the
nose is apt to destroy the germ-killng capacity of
that organ, any such sore or growth should at
once receive medical attention. To keep the white
corpuscles of the blood in good fighting trim more
over, should have good appetite, plenty OIL ex-
ercise regular elimination of waste matter, and De
free from worry. The secretons of the stomach are
also controlled by the proper funconing or the d.
gestive organs The soldier who goes to France,
therefore, should strive to maintain good appe-
tite; to keep his body clean as possible TO rest
sufficiently to prevent overfatigue and to keep MS
bowels in good condition.
of plenty of pure water further health precau-
ton One glas of water with meals and TWO pc
tween meals is the proper amount, he says He
also suggests that whenever possible the soldler
should clean his teeth after each meal
It is recognized, of course, that 1t is extremely
difficult for the man at the front to follow this
medical advice, however excellent. 10 ADVISE
man in the front row of bombarded trenches to
avoid overfatgue would be painful irony, while at
present the American soldier in france Is TOO
busy guarding the rest of his anatomy TO worry
about his teeth. But under ordinary circum-
stances man is kept in the trenches for only ten
DAYS at a time. that he has ample opportunl-
ties for conserving his health at the rear OF the
line. Moreover, the oDon life OF the camp Is OF