The Coolidge examiner., 1935-01-04

lIAzzslAazaz.z z.Ss.l death rate is
twice as high as
for boys with tuberculosis In the
same age period
Many moralists win undoubtedly
wag their heads and say that this
Is because the modern girl wears
too few clothes and stays up too
late.
But then how explain that in her
grandmother's day, when girls wore
loads of clothes and the widest par
ty was over before twelve, the same
proportion of girls died OF tubercu-
losis then as now3
In a study which we have been
making In the medical research de-
partment OF the University OF I'LL
noIs. we have learned that since
1870, when the first vital statistics
In this country were collected. the
peak age for deaths from tubercu-
losls among girls was In the ten
fourteen-year group. That peak has
held for every decade. In 1870. 20S
girls died to each 100 boys in the
ten-fourteen-year group; In 1880. go
girls; In 1890. $50 girls; In 1900, 257
girls; in 1910, 262 girls, in 1920, 255
girls.
The jump from 20S girls in 1870
TO 262 girls in 1910 is explained by
the fact that the general death rate
for girls in the 1870, 1880 and 1890
decades was much higher than II
has been SO far In this century. This
means that In the earlier years not
so many girls reached the ten-four-
teen-year age as now. with our low
cred death rate. They had more ty-
phold, diphtheria, and other infee-
tlous diseases in those days
Moreover we learned that this
condition held true In twenty-five
,ther countries besides our own
where statistics were available.
That set us thinking. Modern aap-
Der foolishness certainly couldn't be
leld responsible for condition that
mas held for decades all over the
world. The cause Is physiological.
This ten-fourteen-year period is the
ame time when a girl passes
through the stage from girlhOod to
gomanhood. II Is In this time that
,he starts her regular stimulation
periods, when the metabolsm Of the
BODY is increased. In tuberculosis
The cure is largely rest. but with
his monthly increased metabolism
rate the body can't rest. Nothing
that medical science can do can
lower this high stimulation of the
body at this time. II Is a basic
law OF nature that there must be
these rhythmic periods Of stimulat-
cd bodily functions. Boys, on the
other hand, do not have regular pc
RODS Of increased metabollsm.
What, then, can be done about
decreasing this high death rate
among girls? The common sense
thing is: don't let the girls get th-
berculosis.
You may say that Is easier said
than done. But young girls can be
kept away from active cases Of tu-
berculosis. This Is easier to do
now than II was In the past because
active cases OF tuberculosis are
now usually brought to sanatorlums
where they can be given the prop
er care. But II girl should con-
tract tuberculosis, then take care
OF II In the early stages. Tubercu-
losIs can be cured easily II It is
taken at the beginning. II Is when
Il has been allowed to make prog
ress that its cure Is difficult.
Parents of young girls should be
on the watch always to note signs OF
listless or fnicky appetite, lack OF
desire to play or do active exercise,
irritability. The cause may be some
other reason entirely, but suspect
tuberculosis and take her to the doc
tor for an examination.
One Of the great landmarks of
medical science was the discovery
OF the tuberculin test by Won Pr
quet in 1907. By means of the tu-
berculin test it is possible to find
out whether a person has ever been
infected by the germ Of tuberculo-
sis. The test Is made by placing a
small amount of substance called
tuberculin between the layers Of
the skin. If the person has ever
been infected, small red swollen
spot will appear within two days.
A positive tuberculin test does not
mean that the individual has active
tuberculosis. 1t means only that
the germ of the disease has located
somewhere in the body. In most
cases the cells Of the body have
built a wall around the germs so
they cannot get out, unless the
body loses its healthy state.
There is not much occasion for
alarm when the disease is treat ted
at the beginning. AS we said be-
FOR, tuberculosis can be cured easily
when recognized in its early stages.
Il should never be allowed to- go
further.
@ Western Newspaper Union.