Evening star., 1941-09-17
of the Best Pianos Now Come Small Packages and Good Ones
Proper Diet
Builds Up
Resistance
Child Better Able
To Fight Disease
When Well Fed
Bv Leffice Lee Street,

1t was not very long ago that most
of the wasting diseases were grouped
under the term consumption" 4"
Gradually, as doctors learned more
and more about the various bacteria
that cause disease, it was possible
to single out large number of these
patients as suffering from tuber-
culosiS.
Through the interest and concert
ed work of an old-ti German doc
tor named Robert Koch it was found
that patients with a certain type of
lung disease harbored a particular
form of bacteria which is the tuber-
Gle bacillus. When this germ gains
entry into the body it encounters
natural defenses with which it is
Immediately combated. If the num-
bers of the bacilli are not too great.
or if the defenseS of the invaded
body are not too weak, the bacteria
are surrounded at first with white
cellS-the policemen Of the body.
They try to engulf the invader and
to wall in the enemy with cells
called fibroids which tend to form
a very good barrier against further
invasion. When this protection has
been accomplished the body can
then take time TO deposit calcium
IN the defense walls and thus be-
comes fairly secure against any ex-
tension OF the disease.
tuberculosis may be spread by any
one suffering with it because the
afflicted person coughs up sputum
that contains tubercle bacilli. This
germ has an unusually resistant
covering and can remain alive under
circumstances that would kill many
other types of bacteria. Thus they
reside in dust, damp places, in un-
clean corners and, of course. on the
eating utensils OF afflicted persons
and on their personal belongings and
wearing apparel
If you would guard yourself and
your children from tuberculosis, one
of the first rules is TO try to stay
away from areas of contamination
If it is possible at all. any one suffer-
ing from tuberculosis should be sent
to a sanitarlum. and, if not, then
the greatest care should be taken
to avoid the spread of the disease
in the family. The patient should
be in a room alone. with his own
bed linen, towels, eating utensils and
so on kept entirely separate from
the rest OF the familys. Children
should be strictly prohibited from
being with the patient.
As was said above. the body car
take care of a certain number oi
the invading germs. In fact
autopsy records show that almost
all people who die, young or old
very often carry an area of tuber-
culosis in the top Of the lung which
the defensive organization of the
body has controlled. This is a good
type of reaction as it gives an active
form of immunity TO the child OF
adult who carries it. However, il
the number of germs that enter the
body is large, or the times of their
entrance constantly repeated, the
defenSes of child are gradually
overcome and active disease follows
( Therefore, you can readily see how
important il is not 10 eXDOSe chill
dren to tuberculosis.
There are other important factors
that should be learned and carried
out to protect children against tuber-
culosis. Among these are to avoid
fatigue, malnutrition and uncleanly
habits of living. A well-cared- for
properly nouriShed child, who is
therefore in good health, naturally
has more strength to combat the
spread of germs into his body than
the youngster who is unwashed and
underfed.