Center for Labor Education & Research, University of Hawaii - West Oahu: Honolulu Record Digitization Project

Honolulu Record, Volume 10 No. 9, Thursday, September 26, 1957 p. 8

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Are You Positive?

Recently an island in the South Pacific was moved 4,000 feet to the northwest of its previous position. They didn't pick it up and move it. They simply discovered by modern methods of measurement that it had been incorrectly placed on the maps in the first place.
The change won't be very noticeable on even a large scale map. But 4,000 feet can make quite a difference when you're cruising around in the dark looking for an island.

Modern science has taken a lot of the guesswork out of life. Take your health for example. In grandmother's day, a doctor almost never saw an early case of tuberculosis. When patients came to him with symptoms of TB that he could diagnose with the limited knowledge and equipment he had, they were almost, always in an advanced stage of the disease. With modern knowledge, with X-ray and laboratory equipment, the doctor can diagnose TB in its early stages before the patient is aware that he has the disease.

But the doctor still has a problem. Too few of us take advantage of the scientific advances he can make available to preserve and protect our health. Have you ever said, "I couldn't have TB. I don't feel sick," or "I'm too old to have TB," or "Only poor people have TB"? Are you positive?

TB recognizes no limits on age, income, race, or sex. You can have it without obvious symptoms. But you don't have to wonder. You can find out for sure." A simple skin test (a tuberculin test) will tell whether or not you've been infected with TB germs. A chest X-ray and laboratory tests will tell whether or not active disease has developed. It takes so little time to make sure. Why waste time wondering? Having your doctor check your health can mean the difference between an early case of TB which is most easily and quickly cured, or an advanced case and months, even years, under treatment. It could mean the difference between life and death.

p /> I do not say that at odd hours a patient must be given the regular hot dinner or supper. Few people would expect this.
 
But what is so complicated about opening and heating a can of soup, making some toast, or preparing instant coffee or tea? Why cannot a night nurse do these simple things after the kitchen to closed? Is it just too much trouble?

It is only common humanity to feed the hungry. If our hospitals are too big, too complex, too impersonal to do these small kindnesses for the sick, something is very wrong.