Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-24
URGES SUPPORT
OF SEAL SALES
State Health Commissioner
Calls For Aid in Tuber-
culoSis Fight

County health councils, dispen-
sary physicians, school medical in
spectors, county medical directors
and all other agencies coming under
the State Department of Health to-
day were called upon by DR.. Ed
ward Martin, State Commissioner of
Health, to aid in the Christmas Seal
Campaign. Colonel Martin declares
a successful fight on the white
plague is dependent upon com
plete, cordial and intelligent co-ordi-
nation" of State and civic agencies.
DIR. Karl Schaffle, director of the
tuberculosis division of the State De-
partment of Health, has already sent
a letter to the doctors under his di-
rection urging them to help the seal
campaign. DIR. John d. Mclean,
Deputy Commissioner of Health, at
the direction of Colonel Martin, is
also sending letter to doctors un-
der the State Department of Health
asking active aid in the seal sale.
Colonel Martin enumerates several
very practical methods that can be
employed to combat tuberculosis.
His statement follows:
The fight against tuberculosis is
so large and is of such vital impor-
tance TO the State that it can only
be successfully accomplished by a
complete, cordial and intelligent CO.
ordination of both State and private
agencies. The Christmas Seal Cam
paign is the most potential means of
bringing about this coordination.
Education as based on theory and
practice. The theory regarding con-
sumption and the avoidance of 1t
implies the maintenance of health
at it's highest standard, since thus
the invasion of all bacterial diseases
is best combatted. A second point,
of no less importance, is the avoid
ancet of direct and intimate contact
with the carriers of the tuberculosis
germs and this is particularly i'm
portant during infancy and child
hood.
The practical application lies in
securing in each municipality of this
State housing such as allows of full
physical development and this is a
problem for each municipality to
take up itself, and one which 1t is
perfectly competent to settle. Thls
should be done and will be done
by the local health committees.
1.-The second practical point is pro-
viding proper nutrition; this also can
be managed by the local health COM
mittee, but it implies-indeed re-
quires, a study of the environment
of each child so placed that the COM
munity is not assured 1t has either
adequate or proper food.
"The third practical point is the
listing of all cases of consumption
and an assurance on the part OF
local health committees that these
cases are not q menace to others.
The sufferers can be so trained that
the menace is reduced to minimum
as far as the public is concerned;
they cannot be so trained that the
menace is not an ever threatening
one in so far as children living In
the same house are concerned, IL
this housing be only just adequate,
or, as is too often the case, entirely
inadequate. Under such circum-
stances the community Is deliberate
ly breeding future consumptiVes.
Another practical point lies In
the fact that those with enlarged
tonsils. adenoids, and defective teeth
have their resistance to infecuon
thereby lessened and are easy VIC
tins to any infection. the tubercu-
losis form among the rest. Hence
It. again becomes incumbent on these
local committees to see that every
child thus handicapped for life re-
ceives treatment to render him more
resistant during childhood, 80 that
later in life he may be able to throw
off these infections.
"As a part of the practical work
of the campaign there must be
clinics and meetings especially de-
voted to the study of tuberculosis
and to the carrying out of the plan
previously outlined above; this
through the medium of social work
ers, of nurses, of doctors, and OF CO.
operation of the various civic agen-
cies"