Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-17
CONSERVATIVES AT HONE

u ~
lake care OF all OF its eonsumptiyss
rhs ffamihsham experiment estab,
hshed a standard number OF beds ps,
thousand Inhabitants. but even tina,
standard 10 . compromise,
Even the eompfomise standard 4,
Tar beyond that AT present attainabis
anywhere, II the present rate oI
decrease or consumption eantiaus,
Tor another quarter OF a century. our
sanitafium facilities may be eaual
10 . bed for each eonsumpliye, and
In TO years We may be converting
some of our sAnitaria 10 other uses
as Chicago. Detroit and other places
have already done with their large
smallpox hospitals built so years ago.
ana Norway has done with fts
ieprosy hospital built 20 years ago,
In tie meanwhile. a large proper
ton OF our eonsumptiyes must be
cared for al home.
Fortunately for them, the faeiii-
ties for home care are becoming
good. Many OF them can go 10 san
i'aria for short period of education
and training. They return 10 their
homes 20 carry out there what they
learned In the sani,srium.
There are excellent books 20 help
them out. such as Minors Rules. and
the publications OF the National Tu-
berculosis society. and OF the ma
tionai. state and municipal health
services.
Larger books written In plain Ian
EuAge are those Of fAwrason Brown.
Hawes. Atkinson. Knopf. Bulge and
many others.
There are excellent books written
by expatients such as Macks "out-
whiting the T. r. Bugs"
A recent Canadian report recon-
mended service which should
speedily become available anywhere.
IL is a home visiting service under
which nurses and inspectors call on
the patient at home. discuss his
problems with him and with his fam
lily. see that he Is living properly and
obeying directions. and visit his
work place II he In employed.
In addition, a physician examines
the patent periodically. advises with
him. lays down rules of living and
pays home visits when they are re-
quircd for emergencies.
The expatients of certain sanitaria
now get this service free. A similar
service for those able to buy a rea-
sonablc monthly fee should be or
ganized.
Physicians have become so ac-
customed to passing these consump-
lives on to sanitaria in recent years
that there Is danger that the home
medical treatment OF consumption
may become a lost art.
have before me an excellent new
book on Domiclliary Treatment OF
written by Walters,
and intended especially for them.
However. there are chapters such
Is those on home conditions. rest
ventilation and health.
,pen afr treatment, cleanliness. pre-
against infection and food
Ind dietetics which patients should
'ead with advantage.
The medical treatment OF con-
sumption In the home will never be
/ success on the basis Of 'call on
In addition to examin-
ng and prescribing for his patient. |
he doctor must know how he lives, |
low he 10 surrounded. what he eats, |
low he rests. what exercises he |
axes. He must know that his direc-
ions as to habits are carried out. |
70 give tuberculin or iodine periodi-
ally is not enough.
The physician must learn to give
letailed directions as to rest. work,
resh air, food. Glittering generali-
les do not get anywhere in the treat
nent Of consumption. As the Bos-
on NJ. & 8. Journal says: A five
minute walk on a slippery Nday in
winter is more taxing than a 15-min-
tie walk in the late spring, and over
exposure to cold may harm.
AS DR.. Stewart says, the man who
;nows just how to prescribe work
8 the one who knows best how to
reat consumption.
If his patient will not buy one or
wo manuals on the subject Of con-
umption, he will do we'll to lend
uch books to him. and to insist upon
heir being studied.
I am not advising the home treat
nent Of consumption If it can be
.voided.
Perhaps some day we will come to
his plan: Every consumptive will
'c required to spend short time in
!. sanitarium soon after diagnosis is
made, but after a brief spell he will
70 required to vacate the bed, for an
ther case.
If he runs fever while at home and
est treatment does not bring it
own, he may return to the sani-
arium for absolute rest. DR.. Ger
Id Webb showed that absolute rest
0 an affected lung brought about by
and bags and nitrogen injection. as
/. B. Murphy and Norman Bridge
dvocated, cured where partial rest
allied.
The emergency of whatever kind
aving been met, the patient returns
ONE for further home treatment.
Say EN- and Get EN-.