Evening star., 1927-05-18
COUGH IS WARNING
OF TUBERCULOSIS
Doctors Are Told Chronic IT.
ritation Is Not Symptom of
Disease, However.

The chronic cough by no means is
certain sign of tuberculosis, but
should serve as a warning, the praC-
tice of medicine section of the Ameri-
can Medical Association, meeting to-
day at the Mayhower, was told by
Drs. w. C.. Voorsanger and Fred Fire
stone of San Francisco.
They reported results Of a detailed
analysis OF 200 patients with bad
coughs. None of the symptoms of
these patients was found to be due
to active tuberculosis, although some
Of the cases had been attributed to
this cause.
Some 81 per cent of the cases were
found to be suffering from infectious
bronchitis and asthma following infiu-
enza and pneumonia. In 80 per cent
the cause was not determined. A vari-
ETY. Of lung and throat Affections ac-
count for the other coughs.
Called udo.Tuberculosis."
The condition termed INFECTIOUS
bronchitis and asthma" is SO prevalent,
DR.. Voorsanger said, that ii has been
called pseudo-tuberculosis" and can
be distinguished from the real tuber.
culosis with certainty by X-ray ex.
aminations.
tive ST. B." he said, and should warn
the patients to get back to simpler
living.
The first epidemic of a disease new
to the United States-Malta fever,
which is difficult to distinguish from
typhoid--was described by DIR. w.
Warner Watkins of Phoenix, Ariz.,
and DR.. G. G.. Lake of the United
States Public Health Service. This
took place in Phoenix In 1922 and re-
suited in two deaths.
The source of infection 10 raw
goats milk. In the Southwest thou.
sands Of goats are raised in the noun
tains to provide milk for tuberculosis
patients. There is close relationship
between this nalady Of human beings
and a well known cattle disease.
Speaks on Peptic Ulcers.
Before the same section DR.. Doug.
las Vanderhoof of Richmond outlined
the medical treatment for peptic
ulcers. Surgical treatment of this
condition has not been generally sat.
isfactory. DIR. Vanderhoof said that
If the ulcer Is not complicated by
other diseases 1t almost always Is
durable by medical treatment.
The part of the patient was stressed
by DR.. Vanderhoof. He said that the
number of cures was largely in pro.
portion to the intelligence of the pa
tient and the painstaking explanation
by the physician of the details Of the
treatment. Many patients are unwill.
ing to continue treatment in the alb
sence of symptoms and recurrence is
almost inevitable in such cases, neces.
stating operation finally. he said.
DR.. l.. NJ. Warfleld of Milwaukee
told Of cases of diabetes following
attacks OF influenza with high fever.
1t has long been known that vari-
ous infectious diseases may affect
the gland known as the pancreas,
which Is responsible for providing
the substance called insulin that
controls the handling of sugar by
the body. One person who had never
previously had diabetes developed in
fiuenZa and shortly after began show
Ing symptoms OF diabetes as a re-
suit. of a secondary infection of his
pancreas. Another person who had
never previously had any symptoms
of diabetes had influenza, and the
pancreas was so severely affected
that he went into a diabetic coma
"a hours later.
1t has long been urged that cli-