Evening star., 1926-10-04
DEATH RATE CUT
IN TUBERCULOSIS
Only 80 Per 100000 Re-
corded Now Compared
With zoos in 1904.

Moving toward the goal OF, virtual
eradication of the white plague" a
reduction in the death rate from tn
berculosis in the United States from
zoos per 100000 inhabitants in 1904
to 90 per 100, 900 in 1925 has been
effected Research into treatment OF
tuberculosis patients and advanced
methods of treatment have brought
about this sharp drop in the death
rate, according to statements mace al
the opening meeting of the Natlona
tuberculosis Agssociation at the May
flower Hotel today.
DR.. LinSly r. Williams. managing
director of the association, said the
drop in the death rate brought about
bv the work of the scores OF tubercu-
,losis associations cooperating with
the national organization results IN
saving at the present time or more
than 100000 lives per year.
u Even though rapid strides nave
'heen made in eradication of tubercu-
losis over the past two decades, oe'
fore the plague can be finally con
trolled much further research, medl-
cal and social, must be carried out
DR.. Theobald Smith. president or the
association, declared in his annual ao-
dress. Until then, he added, every el
fort must be made to raise the stano-
ard of healthy living and to improve
the condition of those VINO nave oe'
veloped tuberculosis.
Problem Is Wide.
"An important and signl1lcant re-
cent venture Of the national asSocia
tion and Of local and State assocla'
tions." DR.. Smith said. lis to 1nclude
in their programs not only the SPECIFIC
fight against tuberculosis, but the
broader task Of elevating the general
health. The underlying assumption
is that whatever raises and conserVes
the general health also contributes To-
ward resistance to tuberculosis here
gain the general problem gradually
splits into more specific ones, such as
nre.natal care, health of the child, pre-;
yention Of heart injury, guarding OF
the adolescent period, and minor en-
vironmental factors of pure air. diet
physical culture and the like.
tuberculosis is merely a special
manifestation of the commonplace
phenomenon of parasitism. We wish
to rise above. it as we do above all
arasitism. which we have largely
inherited from our geological an
cestors. The cost is high. 1t repre-.
sents very material fragment OF
what we call hygiene and public
health administration. Infection Is
an unwelcome guest and leaves De-
hind a train Of undesirable conditions.
Health is purcha seable. But we can
not have the purchase money TOR TINS
as we'll as for many other activities.
I'VE cannot raise ourselves to
level of health and stay there without
continual effort" he said. I've are.
in fact. mortgaged to health
Or. Smith is director Of the bureau
Of animal research of the Rockefeller
Institute at Princeton, N. j., and Is
the discoverer of the bovine tubercle
bacillus and of the cause Of the Texas
tick fever.
Surgical Practice Aids.
Recent advances in surgical prac'
tice have brought relief to thousands
of tuberculosis sufferers who could
not have been helped before, Or
Fdouard Rist of Laennec Hospital and
Disnensary at Paris. France, told the
convention. DIR. Rist, who is an inter
nationally known tuberculosis au
thority, said that some Of the newer
adaptations of artificial pneumo
thorax, a process by Whlch olseaseo
l11ng NAV be collapsed to superinduce
organ. is among the most significant
advances made in the treatment OF
lung +uherculosiS in the last genera
ton.
Even in those cases where both
lungs we're affected, DR.. Rist said,
the collapse of both lungs by surgical
methods. with only 90 per cent OF
the normal vital capacity left in
them. has proven beneficial. Thora
coplastv. a modern surgical adapta
tion Of the older method of punctur'
ing the chest wall to collapse the
lung. has resulted in the Improvement
of an additional number or cases
where adhesions formerly prevented
obtaining relief.
"The air and rest cure" he said
"has stood the test of time. 1t still
stands supreme in tuberculosis treat
ment. Advances in Xray examina
tion. diagnosis of pleural bacllli ano
changes in diagnostic methods al
have contributed to reduction in the
death rate
Nine. Olga Nethersole, famous ac
! tress who has taken a leading lay
part in tuberculosis prevention anc
cure in England. sat through the
oneuing session, and will attend al
the sessions to follow. Directors OF
| the association were to be nominated
at the afternoon meeting today.
Medal to Be Presented.
The Trudeau medal for the individ
| ual who has made, in the past year
the most meritorious contribution te
the cause, prevention or treatment OF
| tuberculosis, will be presented at g
| meeting tonight by DIR. Edward r
Baldwin, chairman of the special com
| mittee on award. Immediately follow
| ing the presentation, addresses will bt
made by DIR. William Charles White