, 1919-01-16


cording to a report made to the United
States Public Health Service, the cpl.
demlc of Influenza in Spain has al.
ready caused an increase in the preva.
ience and deaths from pulmonary tn.
berculosis. A similar association be.
tween influenza and tuberculosis was
recently made by Sir Arthur News.
holme, the chief medical officer of the
English public health service, in his
analysis of the tuberculosis death rate
in England.
In order that the people of the Unit
ed States may profit by the experience
of other countries Surgeon General
Rupert Blue of the United States Pub
lie Health Service mas just Issued a
warning emphasizing the need of spe-
ella precautions at h present time.
"Experience seems to indicate" says
the Surgeon General, that persons
whose resistance has been weakened
by an attack of Influenza are peculiar.
ly susceptible to tuberculosis. With
millions Of Its people recently affected
with influenza this country now of.
fers conditions favoring the spread o.
tuberculosis"
One Million Consumptlves In h
T United States.
"Then you consider this a serious
menaceT" was asked. "In my opinion
It is, though / hasten to add 1t Is dis
tinctly one against which the people
can guard. So far as one can estimate
there are at present about n million
cases of tuberculosis In the United
States. There is unfortunately no
complete census available to show ex-
actly the number of tuberculosis per.
sons In each state despite the fact that
most of the states have made the dis
ease reportable. In New York city,
where reporting has been In force for
many years, over $4,000 cases of tu-
berculosis are registered with the De-
partment of Health. Those familiar
with the situation believe that the adj
dition of unrecognized and unreported
cases would make the number nearer
10000. The very careful health sur
vey conducted during the past two
years in birmingham, Mass, revealed
200 cases of tuberculosis in a popula-
ton of approximately $4,000. If these
proportions hold true for the United
States as a whole they would indicate
that about one In every hundred per-
sons is t~uberculous. Each of these
constitutes a source Of danger to be
guarded against"
What to Do.
In his statement to the public Sur.
geon General Blue points oil how
those who hive had influenza should
protect themselves against tuberculo
sis. "All who have recovered from in.
fiuenza,' says the Surgeon General,
Sshould have their lungs carefully ex'
amined by a competent physician. In
fact, 1t Is desirable to have several ex'
aminations made a month apart. Such
examinations cannot be made through
the clothing o can they be carried
u In two or three minutes. If the
lungs are found to be free from tuber'
culosis every effort should be made tc
keep them so. This can be done by
right living, good food and plenty OF
fresh air."
Danger Signs.
The Surgeon General warned espe
cially against certain danger signs
such as decline" and "colds which
hang on"
These, he explained, were often thu
beginning OF tuberculosis. IF you dc
not get well promptly, If your cold
seems to hang on or your health ant
strength decline, remember that these
are often the early signs of tuberculo
sis. Place yourself at nee under tho
care Of a competent physician. Tuber
culosls is durable in the early stages.
Patent Medicines Dangerous In Tuber
cuiosis.
above all do not trust in the mis-
leading statements of unscrupulouI
patent medicine takers. There is nc
specific medicine for the cure of tuber
eulosis. The money spent on such
medicines Is thrown away; 1t should
be spent instead for good food and de
aanf llxt...sn