Tuberculosis (International Congress of 1908) : copy of report / of Arthur Newsholme, J. Patten MacDougall, and T.J. Stafford ; presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty.

  • Newsholme, Arthur, 1857-1943.
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Tuberculosis (International Congress of 1908) : copy of report / of Arthur Newsholme, J. Patten MacDougall, and T.J. Stafford ; presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    'Hiat the utmost efforts should be continued in the struggle against tuberculosis, to prevent the conveyance fro]ii man to man of tuberculous infection as the most important source of the disease. That preventive measures be continued against bovine tuberculosis, and that the possibility of the propagation of this to man be recognised. That \ve urge upon the public and upon all Governments the establishment of hospitals for the treatment of advanced cases of tuberculosis ; the establishment of sanatoria for curable cases, and the establishment of dispensaries and day and night camps for ambulant cases of tuberculosis, which cannot enter hospitals and sanatoria. That this Congress endorses such well-considered legis- lation for the regulation of factories and workshops, the abolition of premature and injurious labour of women and children, and the securing of sanitary dwellings, as will increase the resisting power of the community to tuber- culosis and other diseases. That instniction in personal and school hygiene should be given in all schools for the professional training of teachers. That whenever possible such instruction in elementary liygiene should be entrusted to properly qualified medical instructors. Til at colleges and universities should be urged to establish courses in hygiene and sanitation, and also to include these subjects among their entrance requirements in order to stimulate useful elementary instruction in the lower schools. That the Congi-ess endorses and recommends the estab- lishment of playgrounds as an important means of pre- venting tuberculosis through their influence upon health and resistance to disease. These resolutions were, as stated above, passed, without a dissentient voice, at a meeting fully representative of the best knowledge of all countries concerning the means practicable for the diminution and final extennination of tuberculosis. It is eminently satisfactory that on such a momentous question there should be practical unanimity of scientific opinion, and of administrative aspirations ; and there is thus opened up the prospect of rapid extension of administrative measures against this disease, and of much more rapid decline than in the past of the heavy mortality caused by it. Giving to tlie fact that the lectures and papers contributed to the Congress have hitherto only been published in brief abstract, it is not possible for us at the present time to sum- marise their chief contents. We propose, therefore, as the most practical and useful course we can adopt in the circumstances, to give a short survey of the leading subjects under discussion’ and to iiicorporate therewith a portion of the not less valuable information secured in our critical examination of the direct