Furuta-san and Tuberculosis
October 29, 1931
Furuta-san had been coughing for about two months, and lately after working heavily he would tire easily, and his throat bothered him very much. He went to Dr. Hodges, who had his lungs examined by X-ray. The conclusion is bad. The report says that it is active tuberculosis in both upper lobes of his lungs and has had much headway into the lung structure. It may be cured and it may not be cured. I have not told the worst to Furuta-san, and neither has the doctor, but Dr. Pierce told him that the report would require the patient to be relaxed from any work and told him that the tuberculosis has begun. Furuta-san himself would not tell his own family he says, but I think you should know.
If you can see any way to raise the money for him, we are going to send him to Kerrville, and in the meantime I shall try my best, too.
Dr. Pierce thinks that the patient should be isolated away from the Kishi family, but it is impossible to do that right away. Fortunately, mother and Toki-chan do not have colds or throat trouble at the present time. I have only a head cold, though I did just get over Laryngitis before I caught the cold. However, I think, that since I am strong I can overcome catching Tuberculosis.
January 17, 1932
I would like to assure you of the great improvement that Furuta-san has made. One month and a half after his first discovery of T. B., he had another X-ray made, but this time at Orange. The result showed that his case is the kind usually curable if the patient takes usual care. The scars heal over by fibrosis, Dr. Barr explained to me.
Under good dieting, rest, and tonics according to Dr. Wynne Pierce’s instructions, Furuta-san soon began to gain weight; that is, about two pounds a week. At this writing, he weighs 119 pounds. He is constantly thanking mother for feeding him and giving him milk and eggs together with regular doses of medicine (tonic) in order for him to reach his weight.
March 28, 1932 RE: Furuta-san
YI wished to write you regarding Furuta-san, and it is just as my mother wishes. He is feeling very good, and has continued to gain in weight. Therefore, he thinks he is well, or almost well. Since the doctor cautioned him that he would not be able to exert himself for a long time without injury, he keeps from exercise, but he does go around all over the house as if he did not have active germs.
We try to keep him in his room (without hurting his feelings) whenever an excuse offers to keep him there. But usually he insists on staying in the kitchen during preparation of the meals, because he is lonely, and later at meals he insists on eating in the same dining room. However, he eats at another table away from us.
It is a recognized fact that when a room is occupied by a T.B. patient, about the only safe thing for other people is to replaster or repaint the walls, ceiling and floor. Probably strong fumigation will work.
Since the time the laboratory tested the sputum (white) and pronounced it free from tubercular germs, he had been using the living room, and any other place freely in the home. I believe that if his yellow sputum had been sent he would have been told that germ is still present, because he still has a disagreeable cough and coughs up “tan” at regular intervals.
We have not been strict with him, though individually we use great caution about disinfecting everything that comes in close contact like the telephone mouthpiece, etc., and the only reason we have not told him to isolate himself in his room is that his feelings are easily hurt, and the least bit of strictness makes him feel wounded in spirit.
However, when you return, I hope that you will remember that some provision must be made for him. The children of the other families often visit here, and furthermore, if Nasuko-san comes here she might be susceptible to T.B. because I know that her near relative has died from this disease. If we have children born to us, we would dislike living in the same house with a T.B. patient for the sake of the child, also. Perhaps, there might be some way in which Furuta-san can visit the dry west, because I leave that for idea for you to give some thought, because there might be other ideas or better development in this case.
