Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

244 THE CHARLOTTE MEDICAL JOURNAL. 1
locally notable because of his connection vestigation and, all to no purpose, scares
with the case. For some reason he willingly people within an inch of their lives.
or unwiUino-lv becomes a party to the spread- In thus giving vent to our pent up beliefs
ins abroad of the news that such and such in a live subject we do so knowing and ex- ,
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a patient is suffering with or has died of the pecting to be disagreed with. 1 here would,
dread disease "with which medical science however, be no occasion for expressing!
finds itself utterly unable to cope, since no these opinions if all were agreed, if all be- i
known remedy has so far been found which lieved as we believe. A cool consideration
seems to do those sick with the malady any of what has been said in this article should I
eood " Not satisfied with a simple account appeal to our readers, and our sincerest de- ;
of so'unusual an incident the reporter in sire is that it may bear fruit. There are
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many cases takes occasion to reiterate the other things which might be said relating
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available statistics concerning local cases, to the economic side of the question, but li
probably calls attention to its widespread we deem it sufficient to have made our ap-
prevalence, takes advantage of the oppor- peal briefly and to the point. X. .
tunity to rehash the various theories of its ^^^ rbcord or the rouRTH op JUbV. I
etioloey and perhaps adds the cautiously . r , »u ^^ I
expressed theory of the eminent doctor The annual haryes of death resulting
whose case is reported, or calls to mind the from l-'ourth of July mjunes is a ways a
Tssay of some other local authority on the fruitful source of inspiration for the vital
subject In addition one sees occasionally statistician. It also is a matter which gives
the brazen statement that the doctors of a very serious food for though at the carecertain
city have deliberately set about dis-
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less waste of human life m this land o .
cov-erigthecauseofpellagra. Withsound- the free." During September the Journa ,
ingb assand blare of trumpets to herald A. M. A. published the seventh annual
hf wonderful news, case after case is found compi ation of deaths and injuries resuUing
ln7Sieories galore are published abroad^ l^^^l^^T::^'.^'''^::::^^'^ll^s
thTgTea drsc;.;nenn th; worid of To us of the South these figures do not;
science have been made by the quiet work- mean so much, because of tl e fact that
those who were content to work and there ,s little part.cpa ion „i the methods.
S^do^^t;X^it;astoM:' of celebration which have persi^ for.:
All these things, we contend, do no good, long m more northern States, ^e^erhebut
on the contrary, exert an influence less it is no less appalling when we read o
whch is inimical both to the lay mind in the fearful sacrifice of human life wh ch
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Aat it tends to and actually does produce ^^^^^^^ ^^"'^
f^^^^^^^y
^^.^.^VT.Tl come i
pellagraphobia-if it is permitted to coin a horrible manner m which death comeH
S-m for the occasion, and to the successful makes one shudder at the very thought.
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ny^tigation of the pathogenesis of the There were l.-,0 tetanus cases th,s yea
disease in that the constant iteration and ahnost double the record ;
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reiteration of ignorance and inability on '^ cases were repo ted. This is the la^^^^^^^
the part of the doctor cheapens his work number since 190o when there were 41.
and produces a skepticism in the popular cases. It ,s significant to "o^e that th,
mind as to the work of the profession, number of blank carttidge wounds corre
People do not like to think they are being pondmgly increased from M6 last yea ,
experimented upon; the very minute they 1,09.-, this year, and that he States ha^l.; ,
come to believe thev are being made the the largest numbers of blank cartridge n ,
subject of experiment their confidence van- Junes have also the largest number of tela ,
ishes and another man gets the job of treat- "US cases.
ing them. People can be fooled, told they Tetanus cases occurred m 2-> differe.
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have something^lse, but it is absolutely States, or m ^^^^^^'^'^^^'^f^^^^^^^^^^
Utopian to hope to obtain the consent of the same as m 1906. For the fifth conseci
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mor"^ than a very few to submit to a proper tive year Illinois -ports the largest nun .
investigation of the disease so long as the ber having cases tins ear 12 each .
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knowledge is spread abroad day after dav 1908 and 190/, 16 in 1906 and 20 m ua
thatthedoctor'^andonothing.'^ Again we In 190,^ and 1904 P^"->'ly^"- ;Xc^
desire to make our position clear. It is not the highest numbers. For the fourth co
that we advocate deliberate attempts to de- secutive year New Jersey reports the ie>
ceive people. When it is discove.ed that a h'gbest number, having 19 cases lis ye
patient has pellagra he should be told, or 10 last year, 8 iii 90/ and 10 m 190,, 01
at least those nearly related should be told; reports 12 cases this year. Michiga a
but it is not necessary, for the sake of a ^ew York each had 11 cases and 1 enns)
little cheap advertising, to foster by public vania 10.
announcement a public distrust and lack of Besides the 125 deaths due to tetanus
confidence which handicaps scientific in- persons were killed by various lorms of far
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