The Redwood gazette., 1934-12-27
BY Oscar A. Joneson

oscars essay 1OllOWS:
BY Oscar A. Jones0n
Dear Friends of the Radio Audience
On March 1, 1882, heinous crime
was committed. The whole world was
Mortified by the kidnapping of the
Lindbergh baby. For days the radio
broadcasts were constantly being in
terrupted by reports of the progress
of the case. Every one was moved
by sympathy for the baby's parents
who knew not whether their child
was dead or alive. So incensed were
the people of the country that they
demanded a law making kidnapping
punishable by death. Some states al
ready passed this law.
Two years have passed. Haupt-
tAann has been captured! The solu-
ton of one of the greatest crimes in
history is at hand! We are following
the case now with as much interest
as we did two years ago. The per-
petraters of the crime must pay!
From time immemorial a greater
destroyer than a kidnaper has been
abroad. 1t has been seeking all whom
it can destroy, making no distinction
between the rich and the poor. There
is probably no corner on earth where
it cannot be found. This destroyer,
my friends, is the greatest enemy OF
the youth of today-Tuberculosis.
Every year this enemy takes the
lives of many young people. Will
our friends of the radio audience
some day be incensed against this
thing that robs them of their chill
>dren; will they demand death sent
ence for this enemy as they did Tor
the kidnaper? A noted authority has
stated that if all the citizens of all
the communities and all the health
officers in the United States would
cooperate, tuberculosis could be wip-
ed out in short time.
Although tuberculosis kills older
people as well as younger people, the
time to start combating it is in its
early stages. In other words, destroy
tuberculosis in the youth. Twenty
five per cent of the children under
Is years have the germs in their
bodies. AS they enter high school
and college, the strain on them is so
great that resistance is broken down
and active tuberculosis is the result.
This very definitely shows that youth
should be interested in tuberculosis,
its causes and its cures.
Nh
from one person to another. While
a person is in good health, he has
enough resistance to keep the disease
from developing; but as soon as he
becomes sick-even such a common
thing as a cold is included in this
his resistance is broken down. A
physical resistance can be built up
by keeping the body well nourished
and healthy. Good food, cleanliness,
sunlight, fresh air, and plenty OF
sleep and rest are important factors
in the prevention of tuberculosis.
AS a means of prevention, pupils
of many schools are given what is
called the "Mantoux Test" This con-
sists of placing drop of tuberculin
within the upper surface of the skin
on the arm. If after three days the
spot becomes red, it means the pupil
has tuberculosis germs in his body
This is called positive" Although
he has the germs in his body, he may
not have the disease. If there is nc
inflammation, it is negative, anc
the pupil has nothing to worry
about. Those having positive re.
action have another help on which &c
rely, the x-ray. The test is of nc
value without this further examina.
tion. If the physicians of the com.
munity where whole school is TO bs
tested can be interested in the move,
ment of this kind, the prices can be
greatly reduced by taking the infected
pupils to them in groups for The
x-ray.
In 1908, 80 people out of every 1O(
were infected by tuberculosis germs
but today only so out of 100 are in
fected. Tests show that in 1908, Il
deaths out of 100 were caused BY
tuberculosis; but today 5.5 deaths ou
of 100 result from this cause. Thes,
figures are encouraging. Friends will
you help in the great work of curb
ing tuberculosis, the greatest enem.
of youth, that the death rate ma,
continue to decrease?
Our local doctors, health depart
ments, public school nurses, and tub
erculosis associations are some of tn
agents at work to destroy this.
The sanitorium is the most suit
able place to combat tuberculosis
especially if it is in an advances
stage. Rest is the best form of treat
ment, and a place equipped for thi
is most desirable. There are tw'
boys in our school who had tuber
culosis in an advanced stage. Tn
doctors told them there was n,
chance for them to live six months
However, they were put in our Stat,
Sanitorium for treatment. Aftel
spending eleven months in the sani
torium, they came home cured. They
would have received the best possible
treatment at home, but that coult
not compare with the care which il