The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1919-08-02
PLAN TO have
COUNTY NURSE.
WORK OF PREVENTION OF TU-
BERCULOSIS TAKING SHAPE
IN STATE
Stevens County Called to Consider
Problem of Assisting in Fight
Against White Plague

County School Superintendent Eliz-
abeth Stannard, Commissioner Clair
Hunt and members of the Red Cross
and number of Colville ladies met
at hurriedly-called meeting Tues
day noon to confer with Mrs. B. B.
Buchanan Of Seattle, executive Sec
retary of the Washington Tuber-
culosis association. The purpose of
the meeting was to start county
organization of the League, and Sc
cure a working basis for the en-
ployment of county nurse especial
ly trained in tuberculosis work.
Each community in the county is to
effect some kind of an organization,
and be represented at county
meeting to be called soon.
This plan is to be adopted through
out the state. A nurse who can go
into the schools and the homes and
take cognizance of tubercular cases
and conditions can be the means of
saving to the community many
thousands of dollars annually. Tu-
berculosis is the great white plague
of the world. 1t Sights no family
in it's ravages, for if it does not
directly fasten upon the members of
family who take care of them
selves, it passes to the next door
where precautions are not taken,
and reaps it's harvest from the
neighborhood. In the case of
families where financial means are
not available, the community pays
for it's negligence in permitting the
family to breed the dread disease
And whether people believe or dis
believe in the theory Of germs and
disease transmission, the annual tax
levies for maintaining tuberculosis
sanitariums and incurable indigents
are annually paid by the taxpayers
whether they believe in it or not.
And regardless of any beliefs on the
subject, the actual deaths and
burials resulting from tuberculosis
tell their own story in outnumbering
those resulting from any other
agency
tuberculosis, like fatigue, is re-
suit. 1t comes because it is every
where prevalent, and because a cer-
tain system can not resist it. Tu-
bercular germs are found in every
mouth and in every home. 1t is in
the air, in the dust blown from
the streets, and it is in the system.
We escape the development Of the
disease only to the extent that our
bodies are able to. resist the further
growth of the germs. When the
system becomes weakened-as after
a siege of the hu--the body does
not always resist the growth of the
germs, just as after an extra hard
days work or severe exertion some
people do not get back their strength
for several days. If the exertion-
or the growth of germs-is pro-
longed, the result is fatal.
Since tuberculosis is so universally
dangerous-and yet SO easily pre-
vented---it is time that the American
people rose in their might and made
united effort to stamp it out. For
tuberculosis can be prevented. 1t
can even be cured in most cases.
But it can not be cured by letting
it alone, for then it is like forest
fire in wind-it will cease when it
has consumed everything.
The province of county nurse is
to look primarily to the young
people-those upon whose education
we are spending our millions-those
for whom we are preparing the
greater things of the future. The
nurse, by dropping hint to
teacher or parent, by giving intel
ligent information to families, can
with the cooperation of community
absolutely stop the spread of tuber-
culosis among children. Sometimes
change in diet, sometimes change
to outdoor sleeping, sometimes a
suggestion in the matter of different
clothing, will bring the result. We
as a nation spend our millions to
inspect the purebred stock of the
country. Hence we as nation have
a right to spend few dollars an
nually in looking after our purebred,
or even our "grade" children. And
as result, it may be that future
generations may present children
with blood as pure as that in Joe
Turner's Shorthorns.
The giving of medicine is one of
the very least items in tubercular
work among children. The idea is
to prevent any necessity of treating
for illness. There Is no branch of