The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-10-31
Some Modern Ideas
Regarding tuberculosis
BY w. D. BALDWIN, NJ. d.

$4,000 for the benefit of the Kua sanitarmm. 1t seems therefore, a
fitting time to sum up I'M of the modern ideas in regard to the disease
tuberculosis, 81 that we al all, in a rational way, work together on the
problems which W re must meet in the cure and prevention OF this disease
No doubt some things will be stated IN this article which will be move and
a bit startling to the average reader
tuberculosis is an ancient disease is as wide as the world, is yer pres
ent with us, and possibly may always be with as. We hope and believe
however, that some day W re will have a cure or at east a ire means OF
prevention. In fact, already, in a small experimental way cattle have been
rendered immune to tuberculosis by hsti injecting inot then human tuoercle
bacnn, nonahal for cattle; and sheep likewise have been rendered immune
u" '% cry noP .o un".. SUI 49, way W hs nomo n ~ our assistance in q vev srik
ing way: that is 10 say, during childhood Nature "vaccinates' u.s., practically
very isolated regions, become infected" with the disease during childhood,
that is, there is a Judgment of the disease generally in certain lymph glands,
or W a small portion of the lung tissue may become infected and then
quickly heal; and generally no symptoms o signs aren noticeable of any trouble
This primary infection" acts much the same as that of vaccination against
smallpox, and W e are rendered practically immune against further outside
infection. We may contract the disease (about IN person in IL in the U
S. dies of uberculosh), but if we do it will be in all probability from the
germs that W e already have within US, that we picked up during childhood
and that have been lying dormant it may be for many many years This
vaccination, in other words, practically speaking renders u immune against
ton renders rs onIv partially immune against the injection that we carry
within u.s.; it saves the vast majority of u.s., but man succumb.
Another very important point is that during the first two years of life
such vaccination is usually not possible, but instead if the infant becomes
infected the condition passes OIL at once tO a form Of the disease which is
acute and rapidly fatal Infection in early infancy usually means death,
that is in at least twothhds of the cases. The younger the infant the high
A sharp distinction is therefore nowadays made between the "tnfeoton"
which usually heals althOugh the germs lie dormant within u.s. and gives
no symptoms and is salutary in that it vaccinates us; and the disease"
which is what we recognize as tuberculosis"
The period of vaccination is from about the second year to about the
form, that is a form that does not usually kill, attacking generally the glands
The most dangerous period of life is hat from about the 18th. yea to
tn 3Oh. year, that is the largest number of cases develop during this period
which is that of the prime of life. From the 18th. to the 4oth. yea n third
of all deaths are from tuberculosis and 900 of these are tuberculosis of the
lungs. But n 10 age is immune and tuberculosis is very common Is a terminal
event in the aged.
Another important point is that when the infection is massive, that is
the child is subjected to large doses of the ubercle baccli, the vaccination
is OF satisfactory and sooner o. later such person is very apt to contract the
disease II is for this reason that tuberculosis runs in families"
I think that the authorities agree, in the main to WHAT have said thus
far. What practical lessons then do W draw from these facts?
.aatnat 4 siiantaat infecti i IF onvone !" tbe house house has bercu,osi such
babies are subjected to the gravest peril Infants should not be taken to the
movies, or 20 church, OF any other public gathering. During later childhood
especially after the fifth year, we car rest more comfortably, always re-
Numbering that a massive" infection is dangerous, that is when a chd is
frequently around tuberculosis patients. A dirty home is dangerous ata any
period of childhood, for the ubercle bacm may Turk in the dust of a house
in great numbers, and the child is always crawling about the floor. But at
the age of puberty, and beyond, beware! During this period especially, our
bodies must be in such shape that W e can resist the disease. But, having
passed the period of childhood, there is little or no danger of catching the
disease from someone else; only danger of catching it from ourselves, from
the infection within. This is shown strihngy IN tn cae OF the married;
if one consort has the disease the other is n more apt to gel it than is the
average person Again the nose and throat specialist sitting every day be-
Slostat hu Is tha averoaa Deson And co II ts also with the doctors M
nurses who attend tuberculous PATIENTS: evidently they are nt subjected to
In the aged the disease is usually very mild and chronic, lasting many
years and giving perhaps little trouble. It is low known that a considerable
percentage Of old people, who ar. supposed to have simple chronic bronchitis,
have in reality tuberculosis. They are carriers" of the disease. AS they
stay much at home they are a source of much danger to children, especially
young infants and every elderly person with a chronic cough should have
his sputum examined several times to SEE if it contains tubercle bacIi.
To reterate, W e must protect the infant absolutely from any degree OF
infection; and " e must protect the child from massive infection. 1t is
"hony mposSlpe 10 protect ue cmd iron a Nsh' mecuo as the disease
germs are too widely prevalent to escape from them, and, until W have a
early infection this vaccination, should take place When tuberculosis has
reached certain isolated peoples, as in Central Africa, who have hitherto
been free from the disease and therefore have received nj childhood vaccina-
ton it has hit the adults with deadly force. producing in them a particular
iy fatal form of the disease.
Prevention:
We will o consider the very important matter of the prevention Of the
disease. In general, all measures that make the body stronger and healthier
are antituberculosis measures, because a healthy body CA usually resist
the disease. Exercise, when o overdone, is important Fresh air is al
ways emphasized and is very important, Proper housing conditions, with
clean, not overcrowded houses, is vital; and these conditions are being better
great Importance, and lin connection with which u doctors are doing noble
work, is the operation or the complete removal of the diseased tonsis and
adenoids Of our children. Every teachers now knows the importance IF this
both rs a protection against tuberculosis and also other troubles Dentistry
is very important: decayed teeth lower the resistance of n to tuberculosis
But of all the various measures used to combat the disease believe the
most important of all is proper food and diet. A community that has proper
food and abundance OF it, and properly cooked food has a low percentage of
tuberculous patients.