The Denver Jewish news., 1924-10-23

come To occupy
br I. u. Bronf-in the foreground
Of all medical
Efforts and * continually cngag.
Ing the thoughts Of the best minds
III the progression. The progress thus
far made in the last three or four de.
cadcs has indeed proven boon To hu.
manity. Smallpox though still appear.
Ing sporadically and occasionally In
epidemic form IN some communities
where cults and duacks attract the
fancy Of the unelightened public Is
practically an unknown disease in the
large eastern cities. Seruins for the
prevention Of ietanus or lockjnw and
hydrophobia have proven their cf-
iicacionsness and saved thousands Of
lives. From diphtheria aniiioxin the
great remedy which saved millions of
children from the agony Of sirangling
death has recently emerged prophy-
lactic which In due time vii make dip
htheria as rare y disease aS smallpox
is now. Judging from present indica-
tions il is hut n matter of time before
the baffling mysteries of measles and
scarlet fever will become unravelled
resulting not only in the effective care
hut also the prevention Of these child
,haoi torturcs. - .---
There are. however. still two out.
al Al, t.I. r,.stt t.,t.
grave medical problems These are
cancer md tuberculosis the two great
Scourages nfIlicting mankind. Scien.
lists all over the world are engaged In
efforts t. obtain n clearer understand
ing of the nature and character OF
these diseases. and the eyes of multi
tudcs of sufferers are directed toward
the numerous research laboratories
whence cure will eventually bc forth
coming
Unlike cancer. the tuberculosis prob
lem has become partly solved. with the
discovery of the tubercle bacillus by
Robert Koch in 1889. An effective
campaign of prevention. though ele-
mentary in nature became thus pos.
slblc, when it was learned that the
source of infection is the Sputum from
tubcrculouS individuals. Further stud
les disclosed that the tubercle bacillus
is so ubiquitous, that it is almost i'm
possible to escape infection by this or
ganism In time physicians came to
recognize the difference between tuber-
culols infection and tuberculous dis
ease. and remedies to prevent the for
mcr from developing into the latter
readily suggested themselves. These
could not elaborated in the chemical or
biological laboratories. Society Mt
large had to come to the rescue, for
the salvation depended upon an alter
alton of the social and economic net
, work of life. Improved working condi-
tions for the largu masses and a better
hygienic environment became manda-
tory.
The intensive campaign of the vn-
r',us anti-tuberculoss agcnces along
these lines has resulted in this coun-
try in decrease of 500 in the mortal
ity rate from tuberculosis during the
past 20 years. The disease itself,
whether on account of partial immuni-
Zation of the white race, notably the
urban population, or because of in
creased resistance due to n more per-
fcctcd system of hygiene and santa
tion. has assumed more mild char
acter in the majority Of Instances
While the lnttcr fact is indeed very
encouraging. yet 1t constitutes, to the
tuberculosis worker most formidable
problem. urgently demanding an early
solution
II is now generally accepted that
tuberculosis Is durable disease. Very
few. however not excepting even those
with personal experience, are familiar
with the intricacies Of the numerous
measures necessary to effect such a
cure. Another quite opposite view
adopted by the wpll-tralned physician
In order TO avoid the dangers from n
false sense of security, is that one,
tuberculosis always tuberculosis. This
is Intended to convey the truism that
recovery is only relative and not ali