Evening star., 1937-07-21
CHILD EASY
FOR TUBERCULOSIS
Hope of Conquering Disease
Lies in City's Ability to
Lessen Contacts.

Lies in City's Ability to
Lessen Contacts.
Editors note: Methods OF con-
trolling tuberculosis are outlined
In the tolloUino article ,Uritten for
The Euening Star By the manag-
ing director OF the District Tuber-
culOSis Association. Part OF the as
sociation's program is operation OF
health camp TOR checking the
early stages OF tuberculosis in in
jected Chudren
BY MRS. ERNEST r. GRANT.
A child living in daily contact with
a tuberculous person and especially
under crowded home conditions, re-
ceives into his or her small body so
many tuberculosis germs that re-
siStance is overwhelmed and in the
majority Of cases the child becomes
infected.
tuberculosis works in vicious cir
Gle; it creates more tuberculosis. Pow
erty, malnutrition and crowded con-
ditions profoundly influence the course
of the disease, but the direct cause
and the real beginning is the implan-
tatlon of the tubercle bacillus into the
body. The hope of preventing the
spread of this disease lies primarily in
the communitys ability to lessen the
contacts of we'll children with per-
sons who are suffering from tubercu-
losis in an active form and who are
daily diScharging tubercle bacilli.
All persons suffering from tubercu-
losls in communicable form should
be isolated in hospitals or sanatoria-
providing, of course, there are ade-
quate facilities to meet the city's
needs
Two Beds for Each Fatality.
One of the oldest, accepted stan
dards for the control of tuberculosis
is that every city should have at least
two hospital beds for each death
caused by tuberculosis"
Last year, in Washington, the health
department reported 662 deaths from
tuberculosis. During that same pc
rlod there were available only 625
beds for tuberculous patients, or less
than half the required number. OBJ
viously the Nations Capital City
should have more hospital beds, if
the children are to be protected in
the home from daily contact with
tuberculous patients.
Another essential element in pre-
vention is the efficiency with which
q tuberculosis clinic fulflls its sew
eral functions - diagnosis, medical
treatment, home supervision. place
ment of patients in hospitals or sana-
toria, education Of patients and fam
lily and industrial rehabilitation.
Law Must Be Effective.
A third important factor in the
program Of prevention mad control
is the effectiveness Of the law regu-
lating the reporting and registration
of this disease.
Such a program is built upon the
findings Of the following committees:
The Handicapped Committee of the
public schools, the Health Committee
Of the Monday Evening Club, the
Social Agencies. the Child Health Ed
ucatlon Committee of the Tuberculo-
Sis Association and the Tuberculous
Children's Sanatorium Committee.
The children's sanatorium will ac-
commodate $50 patients Obviously,
the continuance Of the two health
schools that provide special care for
tuberculous children is an unchal-
lengeable necessity.
In our public and parochial schools
there are large numbers Of anemic and
undernourished children who would
benefit markedly by an adjusted pro-
gram and health regimen more con-
duclve to their physical upbuilding-
program such as is provided in the
two health schools.
Nine-Point Program.
In brief If We are to protect children
from tuberculosis, the program should
include the following:
/. That the Children's Sanatorium
Be operated to capacity
2. That all children suffering from
tuberculosis is an active or progressive
form should be excluded in accordance
with the law from all public, private
and parochial schools, including the
two health schools.
3: That q new building should be
provided, comparable with the Alli-
son Street Health School for white
children, to replace the Toner School
for colored children /
4. That the two health schools con-
tinue In operation for the benefit Of
children subnormal in health, inc!ud-
ing those suffering from the non
infectious type Of childhood tuber-
culosis.
5. That an open window class (ac-
eording to the new interpretation be
established in each large school build
ing
s. That the children's summer camp
be enlarged sufficiently to eliminate
waiting lists-enlarged sufficiently to
provide for all tuberculous children in
need OF special care who are not
eligible for sanatorium treatment.
7. That larger central tuberculosis
clinic for both adults and children.
with An adequate number Of examin-
Ing specialists and clinic nurses be
provided.
9. That the bed capacity for tuber-
culous patients be increased to provide
two beds Tor each death from tuber-
culosis.
8. That the law regulating the re-
porting and registration of tuberculosis
and the regulations promulgated under
authority of the health officer be re-
vised in order to conform more nearly
to present practice and methods OF
health department control
Protection against tuberculosis means
isolation Of all communicable cases
and general health building Of all
children.