Evening star., 1943-04-01

BY DIR. CHARLES p. CAKE,
Chief MEDICAL Officer Tuberculosis Division.
Gallinger Hospital. and President Of the
Arlington tuberculosis Association.
If you have tuberculosis-and at
least one out of every 100 Americans
does have 1.-THE sooner you find
out about it, the better your chance
to recover. Because, as the medical
profession puts it, chances for re-
covery are inversely proportional to
the advancement of the disease at
the time treatment is begun.
There, in capsule, is the reason
why chest specialists constantly
stress the Importance of early dag
nosis and tuberculosis associations
all over the country each year wage
an early diagnosis campaign. It's
slogan is: tuberculosis should be
looked for, not waited for.
Disease Often Hidden.
It is a common human trait to
think that we ourselves, being IN
telligent people, could not possibly
have such thing as tuberculosis
and not know it. Don't make that
mistake. It can cost your life. IL
can lead to the infection OF others.
tuberculosis is insidious. 1t IS
disease that hides itself. 1upercu-
losis can be in an advanced state
before YOU are led to suspect lts
presence by such outward signs as
coughing, loss OF weight nleh'
sWeats, etc.
Like the collector OF internal reVe-
nue.. tuberculosis is no respector Oh
income. It can strike every nome
M matter what money bracket the
family may be in. tuberculosis has
M class consciousness. All men are
born equal-in danger. The tuoercle
bacilli spread from one person 10
another in droplets of moisture car
ried from the mouth and nose our
ing coughing, sneezing or mercy
talking.
Old Cases Start New.
Everv new case of tuberculosis
comes from an old case.
In 1912. in Washington, GIT peo-
nle died with tuberculosis. Almost
Oo0 others had the disease IN such
noticeable state that their cases were
recorded with health authorities. IN
a smaller community, Arlington
there were 18 deaths, 81 new cases.
We have reason to believe that there
are equally as many cases IN our
midst undiscovered as have come TO
light. That is why early diagnosis IS
important. Early diagnosis, Plus
nronnt treatment under competent
medical care. speeds recovery, cnecAS
the spread of the disease.
The Government, recognizing tnat
tuberculosis is one OF the deadly
foes on the home front--as well as
one whose danger and strength IN
creases as the war contmueS-ls
busy now X-raying its civil en-
ploves The results Of X-rays given
to 1894 persons employed IN the
census Bureau showed As active
cases. or IT. per cent. These ind
ings are expected to be typical.
Others Remain Infested.
But we do not all work for Uncle
Sam. To reach the employees OF
department store, the men who
work for bus companies. the people
who feed and clothe the Govern
ment workers, the wives and chill
dren of Federal employes-that is
why local tuberculosis associations
are campaigning for early diagno-
sis through tuberculin testing and
X-raying.
At any time during the year your
physician, your public health de-
partment or your tuberculosis asso-
citation can give you tuberculin
test or an X-ray, but during the
early diagnosis campaign, special
X-ray facilities will be available at
low rates in many sections of the
Washington area. The addresses
of chest clinics and information on
special dates and rates will be given
in the last article of this series.