THE CURE OF CONSUMPTION

Evening Star, Issue 12512, 24 May 1905, Page 1

THE CURE OF CONSUMPTION

No, 2. t ■ This advice is given to consnmptivtsc’ ; v ' live out of doors as much ns pomibte.- Keep - - at least one window of your bedroom open day and night, winter ns well as summer, hly Don’t be afraid of night air.' Select a room; Mil that has an abundance of sunlight—thisl|l| largest, sunniest, and best-ventilated that you can got. If possible, select a diy climate, with, at least, a moderate elevfction, preferably hilly., At any rate,.do not live in a house situated on low, wet ground or too much shaded by trees. Sunlight J# ':' ;’? the greatest eneihy of the germ. The direct rays .of the ever, are very exhausting to a >( who should at least keep his head shoulders well protected when out of dootu.’ Too much stress cannot be laid on the die-- ’l‘V : advantages to the consumptive of. a - deuce on damp soil. Dampness ia 000-of-fog tho factors predisposing the patient to sumption, and it is also a factor in hasten* mg the progress of the disease. It has been V noted that consumption occurs far more fre- ’• quently on low>, damp soils than upon those ':■>: that are dry; and it is also amply proven 'i that the progress of the disease once ao* quired may often be checked by removal to ' a. soil which is porous, elevated, and dry. Tho benefits to be gained by the oonsump* • ■ tivo from a residence on a suitable soil can ' J hardly be overestimated. A gravelly soil, ' of good depth, situated’ on a slope, makes an ideal site for a consumptives’ hornet • . . - A change from city life, with work indoors, to open-air life in the country will • often accomplish excellent results. Do not.-. - exercise too much. Consumptives frequently exercise themselves into the grave. Perv > sous who have fevor (a rapid pulse), are ■ below weight, or are far advanced in tho disease should not take any exercise at all. There are times when the lungs must have ’ absolute rest. As the fever disappears, and as the patient gains in strength, exercise must be taken gradually, but fatigue must be guarded against As the patient grows . stronger exercise readily becomes an important factor in the cure, and later in the treatment ho should be able to accomplish a full day’s work. Unnatural exercises have k lied many consumptives, who might otherwise have recover’d. . , . Eat an abundance of properly-cooked, wholesome, and V eaeily-digested food—plenty of meat, eggs, andl butter. A quart of milk should bo drunk daily, if possible. Avoid sweets and all indigestible things. If you change cli- ■ mate, be moderate in your diet during the ' first few days. Avoid patent medicines.and “cure alls.” There is no medicine known that will cure consumption. In the treatment of this disease drugs are often- of ; value in regulating the functions of tho body, but they must be prescribed intelligently. Get the best advice, and follow it. Avoid tho use of alcoholic drinks, unless prescribed by a physician. They may reduce tho vitality, and (if used in excess) ' v'ill make the patient careless in the protection of others from infection. Drink ■ plmty of good water, . . . Always wear proper clothing. Have no fear of night air, and none of draughts. Court the sunshine, • Avoid damp houses and damp rooma; also'.". avoid crowds, smoke, and dust; lifcewiaaf.jjj all excesses. Be careful that vou dp nofcjfl

exercise when you should be resting. Nevdl swallow the sputum which you hawk fl cough up. Be hopeful and cheerful. —Consumption in the Schools.— V The confinement of large numbers fl children in schools unquestionably makes V Schoolroom a source of danger from rantagious or infectious diseases. A susorptmlo cl'.ild exposed to consumption is exceedingly liable to contract the disease. No teacher known to be afflicted with consumption should teach in a school, and no pupil similarly afflicted sliould attend school. No employee similarly affected ought to-be allowed to work in a school. . The schoolroom should bo well ventilated, and the best use should be made of (ho poorest appliances for ventilation. The schoolroom should be flushed with fresh air during intervals by opening all the windows ’and doom. Children should not bo permitted to use any pencil or other article belonging to another child, if such article is hablo to bo put in the mouth. Children should not bo permitted to use others’ slates, nor to spit on the floor. Remember always no spit, no consumption. Children ihould be instructed to rinse the school drinking cup before using it. In cities having running water supplies the use of any drinking cup, except that belonging to the individual child, should not be permitted. School authorities should install drinking faucets with a constant upward flow, from which the children can drink directly. These precautions prevent contagion. Unclean and dusty floors harbor disease germs, and are verycommon carriers for contagion. The floors of schoolrooms should bo scrubbed frequently, not now and again. The floors of schoolrooms should be wot before sweeping with sawdust, which should bo saturated with standard disinfectant No. 3, which is inexpensive. The deolos, the seats, and the window-ledges should be frequently washed with the same disinfectant. Tha entire school should be disinfected at leash onoe every three months. Children should! breathe through their nostrils. If a child is a “ mouth-breather,” tbs teacher should call the attention of the parents to the fact that the condition predisposes to nasal or bronchial catarrh, and, possibly, pulmonary complications. Stooped and cramped posture of the child compresses the chest, and prevents natural deep breathing, predisposing to weak and diseased lungs. This may be largely overcome by properly constructed seats and desks suited to Lh-e site of the child. (To be continued.)