Milford chronicle., 1962-11-09
Cough Too Much?
Short Of Breath?

These two questions will b e
asked next spring from coast to
coast, from border to border, to
alert people to two symptoms of
chronic respiratory disease
to convince them that they should
consult their doctor about the
symptoms.
The questions are being raised
in connection with a nationwide
educational campaign to be
launched by the National Tuber-
culosis Association and it's af-
filiated associations such as the
Delaware tuberculosis and Health
Society from May through June Is,
1868. The associations have been
gradually expanding their activi-
ties into the broad field of respira-
tory diseases for number of
years.
This will be their first nation
wide educational RID campaign, ac-
|cording to Gerald A Beatty, MD,
president of the Delaware Tuber-
|culosis and Health Society, who
said it was being planned because
of the increasing threat to health
represented by respiratory dis
eases.
Prior to the launching of the
1863 RID Campaign in each com
munity, DR.. Beatty said, the local
association will seek the advice
and cooperation of it's local
medical society. The objective is
to get people to recognize two po-
tentially serious symptoms and
seek medical advice concerning
them.
Respiratory diseases. bot h
acute and chronic, are a leading
cause of disability and death in
the United States today" said DR..
Beatty. THE symptoms of acute
respiratory distress are easily
recognized and lead the patient to
seek alienation. Not so those of
chronic disease, which may go un-
noticed as warning signals or may
be dismissed as of no consequence.
The purpose of the approach
ing campaign is to get people to
realize that two common symp-
toms = shortness of breath and
persistent coughing may be
warning signs. We shall not put
on a campaign to alarm people
and we shall explain that short
ness of breath is normal under
certain conditions, just as cough
ing can be associated with a cold
and will disappear with the cold
But we do want people to seek
medical advice = from their own
physician = if these two symp-
toms persist without any apparent
cause. AS with our tuberculosis
campaign, we are emphasizing
early detection to prevent serious
disability"
DR.. Beatty cited statistics from
the National Health Survey show
ing that disease affecting or trans
mitted through the respiratory
system are responsible for one out
OF every ten deaths and that deaths
from emphysema alone more than
doubled between 1854 and 1859.
Furthermore, emphysema was End
only to heart and cardiovascuIar
conditions as "a cause of disability
for which benefits were granted
by the Bureau of Old Age Sur
vlvors, and Disability Insurance in
1860.
"A study has shown, too" said
DR.. Beatty, that 1870 of all
patients consulting a sample of
private doctors because of disease
or injury had a respiratory con-
dition."
The 1868 RID Campaign will be
conducted with the use of posters.
leaflets, TV broadcasts, news
stories, magazine articles, film
showings, and by word of mouth.
1t has the backing of medical
members of the NTA's medical
branch, the American Thoracic So
ciety.
The slogan will be, Cough too
much? Short of breath? You NAV
have respiratory disease. Don't
take chances. See your doctor.