DEATH IN PHIALS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 163, 7 April 1934, Page 18

DEATH IN PHIALS

Facts About Tuberculosis

"I have in my pocket enough tuberculosis germs to give tiie disease to every one of you present. There are millions of them in these two phials —take a look at them, but don’t drop them.” With these words, said in a casual way, Dr. R. Hilton, assistant physician and assistant director of th<) Medical Professorial Unit, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, began a lecture on tuberculosis. The students handled the two glass phials very gingerly and seemed only too thankful when they were once more in Dr. Hilton’s pocket. Dr. Hilton strongly emphasised the importance of early treatment, when dealing with this disease and said that anyone who had a cough which did not clear up after a fortnight or three weeks ought to be exaniinejl. “The trouble with this malady is that people won't go to the doctor early enough,” he declared. "Doctors, nurses, and public bodies arc not enough—we have to get: every citizen in the country to help in the fight against this dread disease. People must bo aware of the dangers of coughing in their neighbour’s face.' "It is ridiculous that you should be fined £5 for slitting on top of a ’bus yet in a tube train someone may cough in your face for nothing. "We have tuberculosis of all forms among us. There is the form contracted by the young girl of 17. who is dead in three or four months, and thc form possessed by the old grandfather, who will tell von that lie has had a winter cough for fifty years—bless you I—and1 —and is proud of the fact that he has never seen a doctor. “Yet. quite unsuspected, he may bespreading deatii among al! who are around him.”—Reuter. Special to “The Dominion.”