Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-09
.BLAMES DOCTORS
FOR TUBERCULOSIS
Federal Health Expert AssaiIs
Medical Profession at State
Association Here
F0LKES BACKS PHYSICIANS

Physicians are held to blame bccausc
the death rate from tuberculosis is not
raridlv decreasing
Dr. Charles f. Boduau. United
States public health service expert from
New York. delivered his indictment of
his profession at the North Atlantic
Tuberculosis Conference today.
The conference began Il two dny scs-
sion in tho bellevue Stratford this
morning. Prominent medical huthori-
ties and health officials from New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Delaware,
Mary land. Virginia. West Virginia aud
the District Of Columbia are attending,
Homer Folkcs secretary Of the State
Charities Aid Society. of New York,
presiding officer. took issue with the
physician and said that with the war
and other things taken into conSidcra
ton thc physicians are doing cycep
tionally fine work
"Sorial workers spreading health
propaganda teaching the masses TO
guard against aud care for tuberculosis.
have far outstrippcd the physicians in
the fight against tho plague. Doctor
BOlduun said.
InSuring public health by propa
gauda teaching the public how to
preserve and stimulate physical fitness
were also under discussion.
The death rate shows no apprccia-
tlc decline duCing the last five years
This is distinctly up to the physicians
They do not recognize tuberculosis in
its earliest stages and therefore take
AWAY that chance of life which the vic
Tins have By catching and fighting thc
disease in its incipient form
Cites Usual Treatment
lie then cited what he said was the
usutl treatment accorded sufferer
from the disease al first lie said:
"A person develops tuberculosis. lie
goes to his family doctor, The doctor
feels his pulse, looks at his tongue and
then gives Il prescription,
Some time later Il second visit is
made tn the doctor. and if persistent
cough has developed the doctor will
sometimes dcign to have the patient
remove his shirt and make an cxami-
nation of the chest that takes all of
five minutes.
When the disease is finally dag
nOsed, the chances OF recovery which the
patient would have had had the doctor
recognized the disease at once arc
largely minimizcd'
Doctor Bolduan then explained that
Wv b'Al sup INuIN II lHf nklll W III
come when physicians are taught to
properly diagnose the ailment. For this
instruction he advocated nation wide
showing of wartime army film pro
vided for that purpose. The film shows
more about detecting tuberculosis in its
hour and a half showing than could
be learned by any other method in
months, he said.
Doctor Bolduan said il is estimated
that 33 per cent of the tuberculosis
cases in New York city are unregistered
because of faulty diagnosis.
Doctor Bolduan's Defensive
After Doctor Bolduan had finished
Mr. Folkes defended the medical pro.
fcSSiOn.
The last ten years show Il drop oI
l2l2 per cent in the tuberculosis deatl
rate in New York" he said.
This shows the doctors We're on th'
job The later increase was undoubt
cdly due to wartime food conditions ant
later to the influence of the intucnz'
epidemic.
Homer FolkeS. secretary Of the Stnt,
Charities Aid Society. of New York
presided and opened the discussion OF
the advisability Of conducting nationa
campaign for medical inspection.
Among the papers read were Selling
Health" " Health Propaganda aS Seer
Through the Eyes of the City Editor. ;
! Publicity for the Small Town nnt
Rural Press" and "Populari2ing Publi
Health Propaganda.
The American public became rdU
Gated TO health propaganda during tn
years of war, it was pointed out. an
it is now strictly up to the hraItl
authorities and associations TO take I'D
vantage Of this knowledge.
Walter ID. Thurber, executive Sccrc
tary of the Illinois tuberculosis Asso
citation. reported on the growth Of tn
work in TINT statc.