The Struggle Between Tuberculosis and Man

In the last issue, Dr. Afif Mufarrij began his profound scientific study of the battles between man and tuberculosis, ever since the germ of this dangerous disease was discovered.

Dr. Mufarrij continues this study of his through successive issues of "The Woman's Voice," showing how to guard against this deadly malady.

And "The Woman's Voice," in presenting these studies of Dr. Mufarrij's, is happy to present a weighty scientific study by one of our brilliant physicians, on one of the gravest of subjects.

"The Editors"

Now, our position toward this disease being what we have indicated, we are bound, in fighting and repelling it, to resort to the following means:

1 — Improving the economic condition among the poor classes, so that sufficient food may be available to them; limiting the hours of work; and making easier the building of dwellings according to sanitary principles.

2 — Founding medical centers in the various districts, so that every individual, whatever his material condition, may easily obtain consultations, health advice, and the necessary aid when in need.

3 — Founding a sufficient number of free sanatoriums, so that treatment may be within reach of any son of the nation whosoever.

4 — Making the public understand the true nature of the disease and its social importance, explaining the ways of infection and of prevention, and exerting the utmost effort to spread full and ample explanations.

5 — Following scientific plans in producing precise statistics that acquaint us fully with the state of sickness and of health. Thus we know the number of cases and of deaths, and their fall or rise, which lets us be certain of the results of the methods followed in fighting any disease whatever; so we know where we stand, and are guided to the weak spots in our health apparatus; so we avoid error and take the right course, and thereby work to raise the health level in the country.

6 — Using the modern scientific method that makes it easy to discover the disease at its very beginning. If we adopt the points named above, we secure, first, the prevention of infection of others, and second, the possibility of complete cure. And nothing serves this end better than X-ray photography. Nor should anyone be exempted from it, not even those who show every appearance of good

health, with nothing in their looks to betray any disorder of constitution.

We do not deny the outward symptoms their importance, nor the medical examination its usefulness in diagnosing the disease; but all these avail us in diagnosis only when the disease is in its advanced stages — that is, when cure has become impossible and the patient has become a source spreading the germs of infection. Our case is then like that of the "watchman" who arrives after the vineyard has been robbed, or like the firemen who come with their pump and their varied equipment to rescue a man whose house the flames are devouring — but after it is too late, after the fire has consumed everything around it, sparing nothing and leaving nothing.

The United States has recognized the importance of X-ray photography. In that country — where now, since the late war laid down its burdens, they are making earnest efforts against tuberculosis, for fear it may spread as it did after the First World War — yes, there it has been established by proofs that cannot be refuted that the most effective means of stamping out this disease is to make X-ray photography general and easy for all people; for by it the malady is uncovered with ease, while it is impossible to detect it by ordinary examination.

They tested this during the selection of volunteers for the battlefields at the start of this last war, when they made photography of the lungs obligatory for everyone who wished to enter military service; and the statistics came out showing that this method yielded results of the greatest importance. Among three-quarters of a million soldiers it was found that 1 1/3 percent were stricken with pulmonary tuberculosis; and, more important still, of the total number stricken (the 1 1/3), 62 percent were at the beginning of the disease, and there was no doubt of their cure; 31 percent were those whose disease had grown chronic and whose recovery was difficult; and 7 percent had reached a degree of illness from which no cure could be hoped.

To radiography, then, belongs the upper hand in this happy stride medicine is taking forward. Without it, the malady of the 62 percent whose disease was still in its first beginnings would, remaining hidden, have dragged them down to destruction; for they would soon have come to the state of those in whom the disease is so deep-rooted that escape from it is difficult.

It behooves us, then — after all that has been said — to act according to the principles which medicine has laid down and experiment has proved true. The foe is a fearsome, relentless enemy: let us hasten to lay siege to him, and strangle him in his cradle.

In the coming issue: how to destroy this fearsome enemy.