OCR Text |
Show I A CAMPAIGN AGAINST DISEASE. There is aD organization in this country known as the National Tuberculosis association, which has for its purpose the lessening of tuberculosis in the United States In' its last report the association says iliat one of the most startling revelations of the war has been the rapid increase of chronic diseases m this country. In one of the articles given out by the association is a warning against the possibility of children becoming infected with tuberculosis. tuber-culosis. Instructions arc offered as follows: "Phthisiphobia" is the name given to the unreasonable fear which many people have of those suffering from tuberculosis Tn view of 1 tie natural and acquired resistance to infection Which scientific study shows is unquestionably possessed by healthy adults, this fear in most eases is unjustly exaggerated There is. however, no precaution too great, for the protection of the young and delicate. The conviction has been gradually strength-i strength-i ened that the first infections from tuberculosis often occur during infancy and childhood Many of those who develop the disease in adult life may have carried the latent infection for years Among the chief sources of infection for children arc consumptive I mfoetorl rnnmi rl-u'ollinrrv or i1iv;lio? f'liilriron alsn atv nrmnisenonsl v I kissed and fondled and in this way the germs may be carried directh to them. Again they play n round on floors, too often contaminated with sputum containing germs. Therefore, the kissing or fondling of little children by side relatives or friends should be prohibited, as well as the bad habit of feeding them from the spoons and plates of such people. Dry sweeping of rooms should never be allowed, as it raises clouds of dust which may contain germs, which are thus breathed directly into the lungs All broom sweeping should be preceded by strewing the floor with damp sawdust, old tea leaves or bits of wet paper. Cows frequently have tuberculosis and the germs may get into the milk, sometimes in large numbers While in grown people this is not a common source in little children who drink much uncooked cow's milk. The germs arc carried by the milk into the bowels through whose walls they pass and enter the system, lodging usually in the glands around the root ot the lung, or in rhose attached to the in-tcstines. in-tcstines. Unless one is certain that the cow which supplies the milk is free from tuberculosis the only safe thing is to pasteurize or boil all milk i which is nsed by the children of the household. |