Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-07
Prevention Best
Disease Treatment
Declares Bruce

Toronto, Ont, Aug, 6-Sir David
c. Bruce, president of the British
Association for the Advancement of
Science, today delivered the in
augural address to the Association,
now in convention in this city. The
best treatment for disease is found In
preventive measures, was the sub
ject of Sir Davids speech. Medi-
cine In the future must change its
strategy; instead of awaiting at
tack, it must assume the defensive.
the medical man of the future must
examine people when they are ap-
parently well, and not wait until
disease is in evidence, the speaker
argued.
81 David showed how medicine
changed its outlook after the
memorable researches of Louis
Pasteur; how diseases have sue
cumbed to the onslaught of scien-
tiic research, and have been con-
quered. one by one; how the recent
war; while giving setback to
many branches of investigation.
provided stimulus along other
lines which resulted in a complete
Understanding of certain trouble
some diseases, and the providing of
knowledge which would not have
been obtained in many years under
normal conditions; and finally, he
drew attention to the enormous toll
which disease still cxacts in
diminished human efficiency and
shortened human lives, showing how
ignorance and Indifference are in n
large measure responsible for this
economic loss. and prophesying that
with redoubled efforts. science will
eventually eliminate this waste.
Drawing attention to the pre-
Valence of disease in civilized
countries, the speaker said: I'm
wards of 20,000,0OO weeks Of wor,,
are lost every year among the in
sured workers of England, which is
an equivalent of the work of $4,000
people for the whole year lost to the
state. When to this Is added the
corresponding figures for the nom
insured population, YOU get some
idea of the Importance of preventive
work
The medical practitioner of the
future must frequently examine
people while they are apparently
well, in order to detect any incipient
departure from the normal, and 10
teach and urge modes of living con-
iormable to the laws of personal
fealth. and the public health
authorities must see to It that
environment is in accordance with
scientific teaching.
1T may be long time before the
change Is widely accepted. but AL
ready enormous advances have heen
affected, and it only depends on the
intelligence land education OF the
populations, how rapid the future
progress will be.
1t Is one of the first duties of
those in power to see that their peo-
pie nave. in addition to houses with
plenty OF light and air, a good water
supply and a good drainage system.
and money cannot be spent to bet
ter advantage than in the attain
ment of these three essentials to
health" ~
The speaker then described the
measures taken during the great
war to protect troops from typhoid
Iever' and continued: But for this
preventive measure, the suffering
cause would have been enormous.
anti-typhoid incubation was one Of
the greatest triumphs in the pre-
Vention of disease during the war.
Similar success is reported in the
use of diphtheria sera among the
civilian population. but preventive
measures against this disease are
now coming into vogue. The
procedure employed Is to bring
about an active immunization by 4
mixture of toxin and antitoxin in in
dividuais who have been shown sus-
ceptible to the disease by a specific
test.
In the United States. a campa,sr
on these lines has been begin
against this disease which promises
brilliant results
stopping the disease at tie
source, as was done with Malta
FEVER; increasing the power of re-
ISSUANCE. as in incubation against
typhoid: pouring in antitoxins such
as tetanus antitoxin. previously pre-
pared by another animal 70
neutralize the toxins of the invading
oaccili, are three direct methods Of
preventing bacterial disease. but
there are other maladies caused by
bacteria which are not so simply
dealt with"
Drawing attention to the unsatis-
factory state of knowledge surround
ing tuberculosis. Sir David said
tuberculosis, distributed over the
whole world, is ohe OF the greatest