Show information given about tuberculin tests by ar dr al J macfarlane As there seems to have been con misunderstanding among people regarding the tuberculin tests made on school children re rc cenit cc fitly aly it seems that a short explanation ot of the th significance of tile the test Is advisable it is unwise to go to eather ex extreme tieme panic or indifference in our response to the results ot nl the test what really does a positive test mean it does not mean that the child has an active tuberculosis as some parents and ahil children dren have been led to believe it does mean however that the child has been in contact with the disease and has an all active or an inactive ina cAlve of tuberculosis in the body most alost of theses these cases fortunately will be found to to be healed lesions due to the tendency of the juvenile type of the disease to heal spontaneously it the eare care of the child is such as to promote this bills tenancy ncy anne me of the cases however will be found to oe active lesions A positive reaction then should not send a parent into panic but should stimulate him 0 o find out the th real status of 0 his childs health how can this be determined by taking the child at once to the family physician and having a searching examination made this will include chest examination xray X ray and certain blood tests it the child is fauna not to have an active lesion the parent will be told how law to take care of him to keep beep the focus permanently healed it if on tile the other hand band the child Is found to have an all active lesion the parent will be instructed how to teed feed and care tor for him to promote healing and to prevent spread of the disease the finding ot of art an active case does not mean isolation or it simply means instructions on the proper care of the child to insure his future care that 10 per cent of the children were positive reactors should rot throw us into a panic but it should however awaken us as parents to think and act sanely and intelligently about a serious healan problem by all means have these children further examined it if their skin test was was positive the responsibility now is up to the parent atter after the skin test is made it would be most foolish of parents it if from tear fear or indifference a the positive skin test was disregarded some ot of the best child specialists specialist 8 of tile the east r ast advise parents to have their chil children drell tested twice yearly in order that they may know at the earliest possible date when the child has been in footed this information is invaluable in planning the care of the child let us as parents follow through this matter to entirely stop now leaves us in the dark and may do irreparable damage to some children |