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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13103, 17 June 1913, Page 7

In an able review of the work of his department for the past year, Dr. J. S. Purdy (chief *health officer for Tasmania) says that, -unfortunately, onp .must admit that, owing to the immense amount of attention given m the popular press and by popular lectures oh the prevention of tuberculosis, a section of the public has become obsessed with the idea that a consumptive is a sort ,of leper to bo shunned. For instance, to secure rrailway carriage to oneself one would only need to assert that the window must be left open, as on© was suffering from consumption. There would "be plenty of room at tho next station. The general public is not aware' that tho breath of a consumptive is not infectious. The source of infection is from the spit or discharges from the mouth, nose, or bowels. A consumptive home ha 3 been established at New Town, a suburb of Hobart, and Dr. Purdy menitons that considerable stress is laid on work as a factor m the treatment of consumptives at that institution, it being recognised that congenial open-air employment prevents the unforhinate tendency of patients to pars a portion of their time "swapping symptoms," and unduly aggravating their condition by mental worry.