The Woman's Part in the Cause Nd Prevention of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Blanche Gardiner
1904
Journal of the Royal Sanitary Institute
884 not the mother's part to do all in ller power to lessen infection rather than to disregard it, or even run into the way of it, so that all the children may get the measles or whooping cough at once, ancl &dquohave it over and have done with it &dquo -: ' And cannot the mother bv refraining from the generally nnnecessary alcoholic drink herself, by her action and example discourage the liking for it in her children ? II. l,s the 1na7W!le1' ot tlae home. What a wealth of work there is for her
more »
... here, and to what a great extent she may either cause or lessen consumption ! We have seen that lack of fresh air, of sunshine, of cleanliness, of proper food and clothing ; and overcrowding (in the bed-room, sitting-room, etc.) are all important in the causation of consumption, and is it not perfectly evident tllat every one of these items lies well within the womall's province, and that it is in her power to remove them ? Whoevcr heard of a man drawing down the blinds, and thus shutting out the slnlight for fear that the curtains or carpets should fade? Or of a man, who closed the windows not because of tllc draught, but lest the window curtains would get dirty-or the dust would come in-or the brasses and silver would tarnish °? It is the 'Woman, too, who so zealously (-Titir(is fclr visitors and Sundays that best drawing-room or front sitting-room, and so causes overcrowding in the other living-rooms ; and who will for months keep empty a good spare room for that very occasional visitor, whilst perhaps, meanwhile, several of the children are relegated to an overcrowded attic bed-room, or the poor servant (no uncommon thing, especially in Scotland) to a bed in tlle kitchen or press. It is the woman, too, who has tlle choosing and cooking of the food (and food which is inadequate in purity, quality and quantity may be a most powerful factor in producing Tuberculusis) ; and who sorts the clothes for tlle wasli, and who, perhaps carelessly without taking any precautions, sends out the handkerchiefs and other linen of phthisical patients, and thus may have laid to her charge the large number of deaths from consumption amongst those engaged in laundry work and washing. It, is ivomen, too, who let lodgings at often miscalled &dquohealth-resorts,&dquo and who are deserving of the highest blame, if they let to others their rooms, previously occupied by a consumptive patient, without having them disinfected, and the curtains and hangings and furniture thoroughly cleaned.
doi:10.1177/146642400402500361
fatcat:oubninvkovcv7nil3u3xevz35m