H ow Hotel Keepers Can Aid in Preventing the Spread of Tuberculosis. “ It is in the power of man to cause all parasitic maladies to disappear from the world.”—Pasteur. Upwards of one hundred thousand people die annually in the United States of tuberculosis; of this vast army a large number seek relief in change of climate, living meantime in hotels or boarding houses. Hotels and boarding houses are therefore especially liable to become the medium of conveying this disease from the sick to the well. Rooms which have been occupied by consumptives, in that stage of the disease in which they expecto- rate broken-down tissue, may become infected and so may convey the germs to subsequent occupants, unless certain pre- cautions are taken. Such precautions are: First, the thorough sterilization of all broken-down tissue immediately upon being given off before it can find lodgement upon walls, floors, furniture, etc. Second, the careful disinfecting of all articles and places concerning which there is any doubt as to whether or not they have been infected. TRACT No. 3. The contagium of tuberculosis is confined when given off from an infected person to the broken-down tissue called sputum (spittle) matter or pus. The infecting agent in this contagium is a small germ, the tubercle bacillus, which has the power of maintaining its vitality fora long time outside of the patient under ordinary conditions. Keepers of hotels and lodging houses who give even temporary lodgement to consumptives in the advanced stages, should therefore have their houses so equipped and managed that they can take precautions without too much fric- tion and expense. All of the public rooms and at least some bed-rooms should be fitted up and furnished in such a way that they can easily be disinfected. The walls of such rooms should be painted, the floors should be waxed and the furnishing should How to Prevent the Spread of Tuberculosis. all be of such a character as will bear ready removal and easy disinfection. Rooms assigned to consumptives should be on the sunny side of the house and should be well ventilated. All parts of a hotel or boarding house which are likely to be frequented by consumptive guests should be well supplied with cuspidores in which there should be at all times a germi- cidal fluid. This fluid should be changed once a day and the cuspidores should be thoroughly scalded with boiling water. In conspicuous places throughout the house and especially in the rooms assigned to consumptive guests there should be notices requesting guests never to eject sputa into any place other than the cuspidore, and suggesting that a handkerchief should never under any circumstances be used for the reception of such sputa where a spittoon is at hand. When out upon the lawn or in any place where a cuspidore is not of convenient access, the sputa should be ejected into paper handkerchiefs, these to be placed, upon returning to the room, in a receptacle furnished for that purpose ; such handkerchiefs should not be thrown into the ash bin but be burned by the chambermaid. After a room has been occupied by a consumptive, it should be carefully cleansed before another guest is assigned to it. Where the rules already laid down have been observed, wiping the walls, floor and furniture with a sponge dampened with a germicide solution, whisking the rugs with the same solution and sending the sheets, blankets, pillow cases and counterpanes to the laundry, will be all that is necessary. Where, however, no care has been observed and the consumptive has been careless about spitting either on the floor or into linen, silk or muslin handkerchiefs or where the the bed clothing has been visibly soiled with broken-down tubercular tissue, it will be necessary to carefully rub the walls with fresh bread and then wash them with a strong germicide solution, to wash the floors and furniture with the same strong solution, to have all the bed linen and blankets thoroughly boiled and to have the rugs and other articles which can neither be subjected to strong germicide solu- tion nor boiled, sent to a renovating place and steamed. The linen, etc., of consumptives should be washed separately and should always be well boiled before being washed. The persons to whom such articles are given to wash should be How to Prevent the Spread of Tuberculosis. properly instructed as to what to do in order that they too may be protected. As far as practicable consumptives in the advanced stage of the disease should be assigned to separate tables, in order that their tableware and linen can be kept apart from those of the other tables and washed separately. All such tableware should be boiled before washing. The germicide solutions to be used are: First, citric acid mercury or tartaric acid mercury solution, one to a thousand. This can be conveniently prepared from tablets which can be procured at drug stores. One tablet dissolved in a pint of water makes a solution of the strength of one to one thousand. This solution can be used for the spittoons, for wiping or washing floors, walls and furniture, for whisking rugs, carpets, etc. Second, carbolic acid solution 25 per cent. This can be pre- pared by adding one tablespoonful of liquid carbolic acid to a gill of water. All these solutions should be marked Poison. Tuberculosis is a contagious disease and is therefore pre- ventable. Science has demonstrated the methods by which it is conveyed from the sick to the well, and has made it possible to formulate rules which will prevent the spread of the disease. It is to help the public to understand and apply these rules that this Society is formed—to alleviate present suffering and to ward off that which is threatened. Any one desirous of becoming a member of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis can do so by sending his or her name and one dollar to the Treasurer, (Mrs.) Helen C. Jenks, 920 Clinton street, Philadelphia, or to any of the officers or directors. Officers and Directors. President: Lawrence F. Flick, M.D., 736 Pine Street. Vice-Presidents: Samuel Castner, Jr., 3729 Chestnut Street. Charles M. Lea, 2000 Walnut Street. Mrs. Richard P. White, 2024 Chestnut Street. Talcott Williams, 331 S. Sixteenth Street. Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., Academy of Natural Sciences. J. Solis-Cohen, M. D., 1431 Walnut Street. Judson Daland, M. D., 319 S. Eighteenth Street. J. V. P. Turner, Board of Health. Miss Anna Devereux, 411 Spruce Street. Treasurer : (Mrs.) Helen C. Jenks, 920 Clinton Street. Secretary: Marie W. Haydon, M. D., 2215 Vine Street. Solicitor : James L. Stanton, Drexel Building. Board of Directors : Lawrence F. Flick, M. D., Pres., 736 Pine Street. Mrs. H. C. Jenks, 920 Clinton Street. Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., Academy of Natural Sciences. James L. Stanton, Drexel Building. Major Moses Veale, 727 Walnut Street. Guy Hinsdale, M. D., 3943 Chestnut Street. H. S. Anders, M. D., 1836 Wallace Street. E. Leslie Gilliams, 5100 Germantown Ave. William W. Farr, M. D., 5909 Germantown Ave. Benjamin Lee, M. D., 1532 Pine Street. J. Solis-Cohen, M. D., 1431 Walnut Street. Miss Eliza W. Redfield, 214 W. Logan Square. Mrs. M. E. B. Hampton, 2010 Arch Street. Marie W. Haydon, M. D., 2215 Vine Street. Alex. Heron Davisson, M. D., 2204 Pine Street, Secretary of the Board. Tract No. 1. How to Avoid Contracting Tuberculosis (Consumption). Tract No. 2. How Persons Suffering from Tuberculosis Can Avoid Giving the Disease to Others.