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Analysis Of A Correspondence On Some Of The Causes Or Antecedents Of Consumption

From: Fourth Annual Report Of The State Board Of Health Of Massachusetts
Creator: Henry I. Bowditch (author)
Date: January 1873
Publisher: Wright & Potter, Boston
Source: State Library of Massachusetts

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64  

Extracts from our Correspondents' letters relative to this question.

65  

Packard. -- Although not prevented in one or two generations, it may be in a series of begettings.

66  

Stone.. -- Attention, care, and change of residence may do much.

67  

Parton.. -- I do not think plain "yes" or "no" are admissible answers to this question. My opinion is, that a child, hereditarily predisposed to consumption, may be so managed as to have the development of the hereditary taint retarded, but to be prevented, I doubt. Contracted and ill-ventilated apartments are often a cause, and should be avoided.

68  

Blodgett.. -- I am not aware of any such case, but I believe that much may be done by a correct system of prophylaxis to retard its development.

69  

Gilbert.. -- Not generally, but occasionally with those who are intelligent, and have means at their command.

70  

Third Question.

71  

ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL MEANS THAT CANE USED TO PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSUMPTION IN CHILDREN HEREDITARILY DISPOSED?

72  

The following is the tabular statement of "opinion": --

73  

By general hygienic measures, 24
By various specific directions, more or less elaborately described, 96
No means known to prevent it, 12
Doubtful, 5
No reply, 73
Total, 210

74  

The large number of physicians who, while answering our other questions, feel compelled to refuse any reply to this one, and those who are doubtful, and finally those who answer in the negative, that they know of no special means of warding off consumption in those hereditarily predisposed to it, making in all 90 (42.85 per cent.), presents of itself a decidedly disheartening result in reference to the power of the medical profession to prevent this terrible disease from developing itself, even when forewarned. It proves, how- ever, one thing, viz.: that, in the opinion of a large body of physicians, other and more thoroughly radical measures must be tried than those heretofore employed, before we can hope to cope with the fate impending over the child born of consumptive parents. And on looking at the answers of those who give an affirmative reply, we find only one hundred and twenty, out of the two hundred and ten (57.14 per cent.) , who think that they can succeed in preventing the disease from coming on. Upon those special means beyond a "general hygienic treatment," which 24 (11.43 per cent.) believe in, we must refer to the more detailed answers under this question. This is a sad result, but notwithstanding all this want of faith in our power to ward off the disease in an ill-begotten child, I cannot but hope that in the far future, when men will think carefully when choosing their residences in which they intend to rear their future families; and when a child is born, all the excellent hygienic laws that may be daily laid down for childhood and youth shall be fairly acted upon, every hour that the child is growing, and while youth is budding forth to manhood and womanhood; when professions and all trades shall be chosen with reference to the health of those who are to pursue them; when people learn that sun and air must freely bathe every part of a house; when men and women shall believe that it is impossible to violate a single law of nature without more or less suffering of body or mind as a consequence of that error or deliberate crime against nature's laws; when these halcyon days shall arrive, then we shall be better able to cope with this hereditary tendency, and, perhaps, shall then be able to crush it out. I think I have seen such cases where a discerning parent has warded off threatened disease, and has so reared a family that it has become even stronger than the average. He has done this, however, by commencing at their birth, and by constant, never-remitting care in reference to every influence which, during their tender years of growth, could have any deleterious effect upon their' health. He believed that even one small error might sacrifice a life. His success, as I have stated, has been complete.

75  

Extracts from our Correspondents' letters relative to this question. .

76  

Kingsbury. Change of climate, living and occupation, together with alterative medicines.

77  

Curtis. -- Sunlight, air and muscular development.

78  

Bowen. -- Out-door life and change of climate.

79  

Goodrich. -- Plenty of pure air, light and out-door exercise.

80  

Stone. -- Change to dry and even climate, from Cape Cod to St. Paul, Minnesota.

81  

Blodgett. -- By a correct system of hygiene, avoiding all that tends to lower vitality.

82  

Brown. -- I am not aware of any that have proved successful in finally securing the systems of those who are hereditarily disposed. Its development may be, and often is, postponed for a time by careful management.

83  

Nye. -- Regular habits of living; dwelling on high and dry land; temperate habits; warm clothing; good food, at proper times, and which should be eaten in a proper manner, thereby keeping the digestive and assimilative organs in a healthy condition; and, lastly, by breathing good air by night as well as by day.

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