Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXV, Number 50, 9 April 1941 — Infant's Death Reveals Eleven Cases Of T.B. [ARTICLE]

Infant's Death Reveals Eleven Cases Of T.B.

Investigation of the death of an infant recently revealed 11 mem bers of a family of 21 to have suffer ed from tuberculosis in some form, something Dr. C. Alvin Dougan, director of the bureau of tubercu loses, board of health Examination of members of the family at the Board of Health's chest clinic in Honolulu brought into focus several important facts relating to tuberculosis, Dr. Dougan reported. Outstanding among these, he pointed out, is the way tuberculosis may go unrecognized for years in persons who are spreading the di sease as evidenced by the case of the grandmother. The x-ray of this woman who hd never thought her cough serious enough to have a phy sical examination, showed open tu berculosis lesions, and a study of the family history indicated that the deaths of several of her grand children in infancy were probably traceable to her, he said. The almost certain deaths of in wants exposed to open cases of tu berculosis is also characteristic of the way the disease works, he add ed. This disclosure of the cases of tuberculosis which spread from one diagnosed source <illegible> <illegible> for the greater application of x-ray and other <illegible> finding mea sure throughout the Territory, Dr. Dougan remarked. The logical way to contact tu berculosis he assessed is to <illegible>

stage and control it before it has an opportunity to <illegible> other cases