The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 1924. THE WHITE SCOURGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 1924. THE WHITE SCOURGE.

In the course of a lecture <;u tlio causes, cure and prevention of tuberculosis, by [)r. I. C. Mclntyre, of the Christchurch tSanitorium, given recently, be stated that 10 or dt) years ago tuberculosis was the most fatal of all diseases, but it now occupied third or fourth place on the list. As far as human mortality was concerned, cancer had now overtaken and passed the tuberculosis death rate, and the lastnamed disease was, in fact, decreasing. Speaking of the difference between the two diseases, the speaker stated that cancer attacked people after they had passed middle age, and the dependants of victims of this disease were more or less able to fend for themselves after the victim of cancer had died. In the case of tuberculosis, however, the disease attacked peoph younger in age, and its victims lived for a longer time. The average illness of the persons who died from tuberculosis extended over a period of from three to four years, hut to-day, of those people who contracted the disease only iu one ease out ot every tour did the malady prove fatal. However, of these who had suffered from it the majority never again reached 100 per cent, fitness. In cancer, on the other hand, the victim died more quickly, therefore tuberculosis proved the more severe economic drain on the State. If tuberculosis were not the most deadly,, it was certainly the more serious of the two diseases from the economic point of view. Tuberculosis, or consumption, as it was commonly called, was a preventable disease. AVitli cancer they did not know wlint caused it, and were still working in the dark, hut with tuberculosis they did know what

it was, its most important causation, and also it.s prevention. It was an infectious disease, and the speaker briefly proceeded to outline the history of medical .science in connexion with its study. He stated that the l tulccreular germ lived in dark, damp places and was killed when exposed to sunlight for an hour or to Ire.sh air, and ight in from one to ten days. I here were three types of germs- those which attacked humans, those which attacked animals (the- bovine type), and a further type which attacked biicls. About 91 per cent cd human deaths weie caused l,v the human type, hut thc> remaining six per cent was attributed tn germs which came from cows. He explained the manner in which the human body in the child's state absorbed germs. If the child absorbed too many of the germs it probably would coutis:. t the disease cd' which class these germs «c:e, but as

manhood and womanhood were entered the person became almost immune on account of a sort of natural system of self-vac: illation. A total of 99 per cent, of niimaii beings were alfectcd with tuberculosis, but it all depended upon the state i f health ol the- individual as to whether or not Ihe disease remained dormant within the 1 body or became active. If they wanted to prevent Luhcrciifi'.si.s they must conunemc in childhood. The must dangerous source of infection of tuberculosis lor a child was the mother. II the mother weu* in an advanced state ol tuberculosis it was almost a 109 per cent, chance that the child received the germ I'ruin her. and often in such large doses that it died. It had therefore been thought that tuberculosis was hereditary hut smh was mil the case. The disease was not heieditaiv. If. in

every t ase. the father or incll or suffering from the diseas** lonbl lie isolated from the children the disease, be was sure, < mild be gat ill baud within a feu years. Will'll tile child reached school age there was less risk of infection. Tbc child who attended si bool was out of doors a great deal, and was away for a great part from the domestic surroundings of Ids infamy. It was tlic infant who was subjected to tbe greatest danger of infection. There was no reason why the baby should be kissed stated the speaker. The grandfather or the grandmother, or the “kissing” class of visitor immediately kissed the baby. These persons might lie suffering from an ml valued ease of t uherculosi.s and in eousequem e the germs were transmitted to the baby, sometimes in such large doses that the baby contracted tlm disease and died. With regard to infection amongst adults he stated that the main source uf infection was, cf course, the sputum of an infected person. He staled that the large majority of persons became ‘".soll'-vaccina ted’’ as they reached maturity, and it seldom happened that the husband contracted the disease from a tubercular wife, or vice versa. Adults did not often contract the disease from cadi other. In conclusion be wished to put in a plea for open-air schools. He had seen the beneficial results of open-air in connexion with the sanatorium, and if Iresh air could do so much in connexion with disease how much more could it do to keep healthy children well.