Milford chronicle., 1926-06-18
NOT NECESSARY TO GO WEST
TO BE CURED OF TUBERCULOSIS
Deawareans Having Symptoms Can Win Fight At HOme State
Health Expert States; Jump OF 10 Per Cent In Past Ten
Months Due To Abnormal Winter.

People suffering with tuberculo-
sis may obtain cure at~their homes
here in Delaware, and without the
expense to be incurred by going to
Colorado Springs or Arizona, or any
other state where the atmosphere is
rarer and the attitudes higher, pro-
viding the case is not advanced be-
yond the hopeless STAGE" said DR..
Lawrence D. Phillips, the expert en-
ployed by the State Board Of Health
and who, every week, goes to Will
mington to examine suspected vic
tins and advise them about their
case.
During the past winter, which
was conducive to the increase of tu-
bercular cases." DR.. Phillips went
on. the average increase for Della
ware jumped about ten per cent.
That was due to the extreme winter
and the exposure of those who could
not properly protect themselves or
who, through ignorance, failed TO
take the required precautions. But,
| hone, with normal conditions pre-
vailing next winter, the average VIII
drop back again and we should re-
gain some of the progress we have
made in the past two years in fight
ing the White Plague"
An hour spent at the health CEN
ters in Wilmington is extremely IN
teresting to persons who are not
cognizant of what the State Board
of Health is doing in its battle
AGAINST tuberculosis. To the clinics,
held one day a week at these places,
come the suspected cases. The mem
hers of families who have suHereo
fatalities from consumption ana
whom the visiting nurse has asked
to come for an examination, free OF
charge. Sometimes the next OF KIM
and contact cases" as the health au-
thorities term them, refuse to COM
ply, but as a majority, they agree to
be examined.
DR.. Phillips makes the necessary
tests. everything simple in charac-
ter. and if there is suspicion that the
case may be tuberculosis, an X-ray
photograph will likely confirm the
exnert opinion. If there is sufficient
to warrant the semi-oficial opinion
that the boy or girl, man or woman
are likely sufferers from tuberculosis
in an incipient stage, they are adyls-
ed to spend ten days in hospltal
where their condition for that space
of time is carefully recorded, period
bv period. This seldom fails to deter
mine to the joy or sorrow of the pa
tient, whether they are likely 10 ue-
velop the disease, or perhaps haven't
got any symptoms of its existence
Suggests Observation
"The reason for this hospitallza-
tion," said DR.. Phillips, lis because
in the hospital there are all the Ia
cilities at hand to aid in correcting
diagnosing the disease. Tubercular
patients usually develop a tempera-
ture, and even though the sputum
NAV not show any signs, or the tunc-
tioning of the lungs may not accur-
ately indicate it, the temperature
may be the clue.
"There is no one thing in these
suspected cases to prove to the phys
ician that the patient has tuberculo-
sis. It is a combination of sputum'
breathing, temperature, falling OIL IN
weight and appetite that go to make
the case suspicious. The value OF
such ten days spent in hospltaI
for observation is easily realized be-
cause of the time saved in the early
treatment and the majority OF these
cases are returned to health. Ana II
the case is not tuberculosis, no harm
has been done because from TINS
period Of observation, the patent
has learned that it isn't one OF tuDer-
culosis.
"Often times, all that is needed to
change a suspect case to one OF no
is a change of environ
ment and food. Then again, large
proportion have the mistaken ldea'
that If they 90 to a sanitarium, with
out tuberculosis, they would De sure
to get it. AS a matter of fact a SAM
tarium or hospital is the safest place
they could go to, for the reason that
all sources Of spreading the disease
are eliminated, whereas, in the oally
routine Of life, no such precautions
are taken by the average tuberculo-
sis case in his or her home sur
roundings.
At First
when the State Board Of Health
began functioning at these Clinics
the physicians never sent us any pa
tents to examine" said DR.. Phillips.
"They had the idea that we were
going to treat them, but that is not
possible under the present arrange
ments. Now, however, that a clear
understanding has been reached, the
physicians know we never treat a
case, simply diagnose it and tell the
patient to go to his or her family
physician, the medical men are CO.
operating with us. But they seldom
send us any one unless it's a def
1ite case and want another mans
opinion.
1--WE get all our cases from the
7isiting nurses recommendation to
he members of the family to take
Of this free examination.
Many of the cases are Of an INDECENT !