Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-07
FIGHTING ADVANCE Of
GREAT WHITE PLAGUE
DR.. Keene, Secretary of State
tuberculosis Commission,
Talks to Farmers.
Special Correspondence Of Every Evening

Special Correspondence Of Every Evening
Bridgeville Feb. 7.-At the afternoon
meeting Of the farmers here DR.. Charles
II. Keene, Executive Secretary Of the
Delaware State Tuberculosis Commission
discussed "Tuberculosis in Delaware"
'fJhis disease" he said, franks third
among the causes Of death in this county
one out of every ten deaths being caused
by il on the average. When we come 10
the productive ages OF man--from age
twenty to age forty--we find that one
ont Of every three deaths is caused by
shis dread disease.
'fWe can overcome this disease only by
a campaign OF education by convincing
the people Of this state that il is the most
common disease among us, practically
everybody becoming infected sooner or
later, and by proving 20 them that If they
will help us find the cases of the disease,
we can In time both prevent and cure this
pestilence In communities where 1t has
been possible 10 give a careful chest
examination TO practically every person,
IL has been found that B. Is per cent OF all
the population have the disease IN an
arrested or active form. For the State Of
Delaware that means at least 4 500 cases,
and when we consider our large Negro
population, which rs peculiarly suscepti-
bic 20 this disease, IL is not an exaggerated
estimate 20 say that there are probably
5000 eases literally in our midst. They
must know too. that every person with
a chronic cough, cold, wasting or loss Of
weight is probably tuberculosis case.
'fPeoplc must realize that IL Is a disease
OF poor or careless living that Il IS pre-
vcntable disease If only all Of us would
insist on taking ourselves, and getting
for our dear ones, plenty Of fresh AR
day and night, summer and winter, an
ample amount Of pure clean, nourlshIng
properly cooked food, and a large amount
Of rest, sleep and play, preferably in the
open air. They must learn too that these
game precautions will cure the disease
in those afflicted, If the treatment IS
started early in the disease. 80 let our
motto be, "Air 10 live, food 10 live, rest
to live"
Speaking IN the evening on Health IN
the Farm Home" the doctor emphasized
the great importance Of the safe disposal
OF human waste, and the necessity Of
installing on the premises Of every home
a clean chieken-suine- hyproof,
sanitary privy.
Not only Is the ordinary farm and
small-town. surface pr7vy an eyesore
and filthy spot, but Is serious threat
against the health OF every member of the
family. Typhoid fever and other intestinal
diseases are spread by il. The hog
tramps in it and takes its filth ~ the door
step, the chicken scratches IN it and then
perches on the edge of the well. the fly
matches and feeds in il and then hides
himself 10 the dining table IN the house
for ms next feast.
Such human waste should never be
deposited on the surface Of the ground
A. far back as the time Of Moses, the
children of Israel in their great exodus
from Egypt buried their fifth. Surely We
III the twentieth century, can DC as clean
as they were 4 pit should be dug and
made water proof with cement, and over
this should be fitted tightly fly animal
and chicken-proof prIvy house. II thus
water proof pit Is made In three oompart-
ments in accordance with the pamphlet
issued by the nited States Public Health
Service. it becomes what ls csIled a septic
tank. the sohd parts sre digested by the
hscteTia present and the outfosing
liquid can be carried away under the
surface of the ground, IN an ordinary
tile dIain, and this liquid Is absorbed into
the soil and never osn do harm.
Let us protect our water supply and