What a church league can do for the individual consumptive.—In addition to supplying the members of the league with information in regard to tuberculosis and sanitation, which is the work of the committees, and trying to induce the members to follow the instructions given them, there are other things that the league can do for the individual consumptive.
The chief difficulty that will be encountered by the leagues is the lack of money to help their sick members. It is hoped, however, that as the league demonstrates its value to the community more money will be available, and the work of helping the sick members can be extended. This work contemplates the “class method” of treating patients at their homes, the establishment of dispensaries, and ultimately sanatoria and “tuberculosis farms,” where a patient can earn a living by working on the farm and at the same time be under medical supervision. It is realized that these things are for the future, but it is well to keep them in mind as one of the ultimate aims of the leagues.
Now let us consider what can be done for the members who have consumption. The league should buy a number of the paper spit cups mentioned above, and distribute them to their consumptive members, and urge their use. These cups are cheap and therefore can be burned after being used. If every consumptive can be induced to use these cups and then burn them much will be done toward stopping the spread of consumption.
Whenever a case of consumption is discovered the officers of the league should apply to the health officer to disinfect the rooms occupied by the consumptive, in order to protect the other people in the house from the disease. Then if the consumptive is careful he is not likely to reinfect them. Also when a consumptive dies the health officer should be asked to disinfect the rooms.
Consumptives should spend most of their time out of doors, and if possible should sleep on a porch, or in a shed, or tent. All one needs is something to protect against the weather and keep off the rain and snow, but let in a great deal of fresh air. Patients live out of doors all winter in the north, with the thermometer below zero, and many have been cured of consumption in this way, including negroes. The league may help to provide the shack, shed, or tent, or it may furnish sleeping bags, blankets, etc., and in this way help the patient.
If the patient is very poor it may be that the league can see that he gets proper food which he might not otherwise have. The committees of the league will doubtless find many other means for helping the patient at small expense. The minister in making his pastoral calls can be of the greatest help both to the patient and to the community by seeing that the patient is properly carrying out his instructions, and that he has the proper facilities for doing so.
Dispensary.—As soon as the church league is formed, some physician should be designated who will examine all members referred to him, to decide if they have consumption. Usually there will be found one or more physicians who are members of the league, who will probably act in this capacity. If practicable a tuberculosis dispensary might be established at some convenient point, possibly in one of the rooms in the church, where the physicians could be found on certain days at stated hours, say, twice a week. Here they could see the consumptives, and examine and advise them as to the treatment necessary. They could also examine other members referred to them to decide whether they had consumption or not. Records of the dispensary work should be kept.
It is not practicable at this time to go more minutely into the details of the work of these leagues, which are now in their formative stage.
The writer will be glad to lend any aid in his power to any state or church league that may desire it, and all persons who are interested in this movement are invited to write to him, expressing any views they may have for the advancement of the work. He will be glad to have any aid, advice, or criticisms that may be offered.