PREVENTIVE MEASURES A(iAINST THE 

 SPREAD OF TUBERCULOSIS. 



By E. HIRSCHFELD, M.D. 



[lii-ad be/ore the Eoijal Societi/ ufQiufushnid 24tJt Fvhrnunj, 1900.] 



The discoveries of the last twenty years have established two 

 important facts with reference to pulmonary consumption. The 

 disease, which up till lately had been considered always to 

 end fatally, has been proved to be curable in almost any stage ; 

 moreover, with patients suft'ering from it in the first stage 

 recovery is the rule in the vast majority of cases, especially in 

 places, as in Queensland, where favourable climatic and social 

 conditions come to the assistance of the patient. The second 

 fact, which has been brought out by the researches of Robert 

 Koch, Cornet, Flugge, and others, is that pulmonary consumption 

 can be prevented by the adoption of precautionary measures. 

 Of course, it is absurd to expect that such a result can be achieved 

 without considerable sacrifices on the part of the community and 

 individual. But we must keep in mind that the sum total of 

 deaths occasioned by this disease is very much greater than all 

 the losses sustained in wars, and remember, that the 

 individuals affected by it represent frequently the brightest and 

 best intellects in the country. The campaign initiated against the 

 spread of tuberculosis, ever since Koch discovered the infectious 

 nature of the disease, will not be given up till we have succeeded 

 in stamping out the disease in man and beast. This is not 

 likely to happen within our generation, but we ought to put our 

 shoulder to the wheel in order that we may achieve our full share 

 in it. In dealing with this question, as far as it confronts us in 

 Queensland, we must beware of following too closely in the 



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