Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-03-31

NURSE HAS THE NAMES
Information for Those who
Desire to be Examined
For tuberculosis.

Miss ella Buchanan, the school
nurse, has received from the Iowa Tu-
berculosis Associa ton the names OF ell
Hamilton county boys who were re-
jected as soldiers on account OF having
tuberculosis The association wants
Miss Buchanan to get in touch with
these boys and have them take sana-
forum trea tment at the expense. of the
state or government, provided they are
not able to bear this expense them
selves. The necessity of this treatment
lis apparent when each known case Of
tuberculosis means five unknown cases
due to contact with those who have the
disease.
Miss Buchanan is just in receipt Of
the following information from The
state association to any who may de-
sire to be examined for tuberculosis:
Information and Suggestions.
Increasing numbers Of requests are
being received by the Iowa Tuberculo-
sis Association for information regard
: ing the procedure necessary to obtain
an analysis of sputum. For the bene-
fit Of those who may desire information
on the subject, the following sugges-
lions are, offered:
Examinations of sputnm for tubercu-
losis are made at the laboratories for
the State Board Of Health, University
Of Iowa, Iowa City. Such examina-
tions are made free Of charge. 1t is
necessary, however, that the specimen
of sputum be collected in o container
supplied by the laboratory and that the
examination be made through ply
stefan. Physicians may obtain these
outfits without charge from place in
their city where such outfits are kept
on hand ut all times. The physician
may expect to receive report of the
examination in the course of three or
I four days after he sends the specimen.
Although the laboratory makes no
charge for making examinations, it is
u '.
to be expected that the physician who
obtains the outfit, makes the arrange
ments for the collection Of sputum, fills
out the necessary data blank and looks
after the sending of the specimen, in
Guiding the postage, receives the re-
port and keeps a record of same, will
be compensated for such.
The examination Of the sputum will
show whether the germs are present or
not in that particular specimen. Sup
nose they are present. then there will
be no question. whatever that tubercu-
losis is present, and moreover that 1t
is in stage which is dangerous to
i Others because the germs are actually
escaping from the lungs into the spu-
tllm.
Suppose they are absent in the spu-
tum on one examination, yet they
might be present in another specimen
taken, on the next day. 1t is there
fore wise, II the first specimen does
not show them, to try a second and a
third.
We usually urge that six altogether
should be taken, on six consecutive
days, before being satisfied that the
! germs are not present in the sputum.
This alone will give reasonable as
surance that the germs are not present
in the sputum, and that therefore the
patient is not a danger to others; but
do not fall into the error of supposing
that even six negative sputum tests
prove that the disease itself is not pre-
sent. The germs may easily be at
work in the lungs, and yet not have
reached the point where they are es-
Gaping in the sputum, SO that they
can he found.
Most cases of tuberculosis have the
disease about three years before the
germs can be found in the sputum,
SO that If tuberculosis is suspected,
the only wise thing to do is to have
very thorough examination OF the
lungs and general state Of health by
competent physician, as well as the
sputum examination.
This is a matter which should not
be neglected. Each days delay in
tuberculosis means just so much less
chance OF ultimate recovery, and IL
tuberculosis is present, whether 1t is
in the infectious stage with the
germs in the sputum or in an earlier
stage where the germs are not yet
escaping in the sputum, action should
be taken at once so that the progress
of the disease may be stopped or
cure effected.
Mrs. s. w. vanBuskirk of Hitch
cock, s. D., who has been visiting here
with Mrc n r. ROhiSon left this noon