The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-21

n said before" says o. Henry
 M m "The Unfinished Story" Il 0 SS dreamed that I was standing near a crowd of prosperous-looking an gels. and a policeman took me by she wing and asked me if I belonged with them.
 {" Who are they?' asked.
 Why said he. they are the men who hirAa working girls and paid 'em ss a week to live on. Are you one of themT
 '' Not on your immortality said I. I'm only the fellow who set fire to an or phan asylum and murdered blind man for his pennies
 Somehow, after I had paid a visit to the Red Mountain tuberculosis sanato- rum the other day. this story of o. Henry's came to mind. substituted in place of the linen who hired working girls and paid them s6 a week to live on'' those who arc comfortable and happy in their homes, well and strong and healthy, and with money in their pockets, who do not willingly and happily give of their bounty to suffering Ahu- z manity--those victims of the Great White Plague --who lie pulsating and palpitating for hreath--for air-for life.
 To those of us who do not know what ill health is. there is a little CT no ap- peal in tho sick and suffering creature whose life is spent fighting some deadly disease; to those of us who have seen those near and dear to our hearts, racked lY disease and suffering, there is com passion, mercy and long suffering lova given freely. Yet with both classes. these is room for bigger and wider and moro loye--including generosity in the matter of attention and moriey.
 Perhaps it was few touching stories like tho one of 0. Henry's that I have just quoted that has brought out the great need of certain measures in cer- tain auarters-the poverty and the squalor which surrounded many a tu- berculosis patient whose illness and misery are not chronicled in the society sheets of the newspapers, or even dis cussed in gatherings, but whose stories from time to time have come to the knowledge of tho noble army of fighters of tho dread tuberculosis whose wither- ing hand has moved to earth many beautiful young life all because of no attention being paid to the patient in the early stages of the disease-no comforts being provided while tho intense suffer rng and pain arc racking the poor LOT tured body of tho victim.
 Listen to what tho ittle pamphlet; ''What You Should Know About Tubcr- euloeis,'' prepared by the National As sociation fer the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis" and distributed by the Alabama ti-Tuberculosis league says --the hope that is held out to the eTn- bryo consumptive:
 s.Remember that this disease can be cured in the majority of cases if it Is discovered early. while if it is not found out until it is advanced, 1t is hard to cure it at all
 Tn early cases. proper food. rest in the open air by day, and, if possible. by night: clean surroundings, and, if at all possible. the help of an intelligent doc tor will do wonders. Since if tubercu- iosis Is to be cured, 1t must be found out early, it is very important to un- derstand the early symptoms which warn us of its presence.
 ''Unfortunateiy. many doctors do not give especial attention to this disease and overlook it until too late, or mistake it for other things. especially grippe. "a chronic cold malaria, stomach trouble and nervous prostration. A careful doc- tor will always strip your chest to the skin for examination, and no examina- ton through the clothes is of any use ar all. Further, he will study your fever every two hours for at least week. will have your sputum examined in every case and will go very carefully into the past history of your case and your sur roundings. If these things are not done it will be impossible to find out the trouble in any but advanced hopeless cases. If you cannot get a doctor to examine you in this thorough way. go at once to the nearest dispensary and have your case studied carefully by someone familiar with this trouble
 There is the hope, the encouragement, the chance given to the tuberculosis vic, tim, but suppose there is no dispensary near? Suppose the funds have dwindled down so that few cases can be cared for? Then, what is hope held out to the suf- ferer but vain crying in the night for something which cannot be granted.
 For the first tirne Ca few years ago) in the history of the disease known as tuberculosis, people came to see the ad- vantage of intelligent treatment: at last, after untold loss of life and untold sui fering and untold anxiety. q gieam of light has arisen upon the horizon, and hope, blessed hepe. rises like star in the east--fof intelligent treatinent-- 5thts star of hope sas come to dawn shs>ash tho efforts of those who have