TUBERCULOSIS IN THE PHILIPPINES. 



455 



America. It is not possible to get any statistics on the amount of sur- 

 gical as compared to medical tuberculosis, as comparatively few of the 

 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis here are admitted to the hospitals. It 

 has been considered by many writers that bone, Joint and gland tuber- 

 culosis are produced by an infection with the bovine bacillus; the 

 extreme rarity of tuberculosis in cattle in the Philippine Islands, to- 

 gether with the frequency of these types of infection in man, certainly 

 speak against such a view. 



Tuberculosis of the testicle is rather common in Manila — 10 cases 

 having been admitted to St. Paul's and 3 to the University Hospital. 

 Doctor Saleeby of the latter institute informs me that tuberculosis of 

 the mesenteric glands is unusually common here. 



The following table shows the number of patients suffering with 

 pulmonary tuberculosis during each of the past four years in Bilibid 

 Prison, where over 3,000 prisoners are constantly confined. 



Remaining from previous year 



Admitted 



Died 



Discharged 



Released 



Remaining for next year 



Julyl, 



1905, to 



June 30, 



1906. 



July 1, 



1906, to 



June 30, 



1907. 



100 



153 



' 188 



91 ! 



84 



,40| 



39 



19 , 



12 



2 

 153 ; 



153 



July 



1, 



July 1, 



1907, 



to 



1908, to 



June 



30, 



June 30, 



1908. 



1909. 



153 



V2.i 



58 



62 



1 



156 



156 

 192 



86 



137 



1 



124 



Hygiene and diet are at present the chief factors in the treatment 

 of tuberculosis, and, while specific treatment should logically form the 

 basis, it has as yet shown no results which would entitle it to this position. 



It would probably fill a volume even to mention the substances that 

 have been advised in the specific treatment of tuberculosis. A few that 

 are probably forgotten by most of us to-day are tannin, lead acetate, 

 garlic, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, corrosive sublimate, boric 

 acid, borax, carbolic acid, fluorides, camphor, etc. It generally happens 

 that the amount of space devoted to the discussion of any of the 

 specifics is inversely proportional to the length of time which has elapsed 

 since the specific action was suggested. In order to test, in a com- 

 parative way, some of the more recently suggested specifics in the treat- 

 ment of tuberculosis, I selected one hundred adult males who were 

 suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and were confined in the tuber- 

 culosis wards of the hospital at Bilibid Prison. 



None of our cases were in the first stage; SO were in the second; 

 91853 5 



