New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-27
TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT
GERMANY MORE SUCCESSFUL. WITH
ADULTS AND FRANCE WITH
CHILDREN.
Paris, November l..


Professor Brouadel, who represented the
French Academy of Medicine at the Interna-
lional tuberculosis Congress at Berlin, has re-
turned to Paris fully confident that the progress
OF tuberculosis can be checked ny united inter
national accord and common action. Dr. Broua-
GEL who has expressed his views TO the Paris
Matln, says that what most forciby i'm
pressed him during his stay in Berlin was the
effective service accomplished by the German
life insurance companies in fighting the terrible
malady DR.. Brouadel is not merely a scientist
but is a man of practical common sense who
as head Of the Board of Health of the city of
Paris, is accustomed to deal with abstract ques-
tons in a thoroughly busnesslike manner.
The professor who is a short. thickset man.
with reddish hair and beard. found in his
library seated in leather armchair before his
working table. encountered with books. pam
phlets newspapers, walls, pill boxes and tele-
grams. He was putting away at large, we'll
colored meerschaum pipe.
In Germany" said DR.. Brouadel. the
palgn against tuberculosis is directed by the
highest personages of the land, and notably by
the Empress Augusta Victoria. who devotes a
portion of her time almost every day to the
noble work she has taken up with genuine love
and enthusiasm. I have no hesitation in say
ing that next after the Empress 1t is to the
German life insurance companies that the most
credit is due for the satisfactory results already
accomplished in Germany"
Dr. Brouadel then eXpla ined that in Prussia
workmens insurance against disease. illness,
accident and death is obligatory. The insur-
ance companies derive from this source an
enormous revenue. The insurance companies
established in the province of Brandenburg
alone realized from workmens policies in
single year 100000 marks net profit. Each
year the companies set apart large sums for
the foundation, endowment and maintenance Of
sana forums for the treatment of consumptive
worknen. This method seems al first sight to
be act of disinterested charity. but such is
not the case, for it is found that the insurance
companies have actually increased their profits
by their liberal endowments. The situation in
Prussia is this:
The insurance actuaries compiled statistics
which proved that one-third of the total num-
Der OF workmen 10 whom. or to whose heirs,
pensions or indemnities had been paid were
victims Of tuberculosis. The boards of directors
then asked whether it would not be more
profitable TO the invalids and prevent
death instead of paying out premiums and in
IDENTITIES and pensions. Investigations made
on these lines by the actuaries showed con-
clusively that the margin of profit would be
considerably increased by adopting such
course, and this was done five years ago.
After a lapse of three years during which
the sana forum system had been esta blished on
a solid basis and brought into efficient working
order, the actuaries were instructed to make
reports based on the data and statistics
sUlting from the three years trial. The result
proved that no less than 60 per cent of the work
who had left the sanatoriums after treat
ment and did not during entire year
have single days illness such as to prevent
them from going TO work
This result is extraordinary and. the in-
surance Of workmen is obligatory in Prussia it
will readily be seen that the method Of proven
ton and cure is for the insurance companies not
only charitable but profitable There al
ready eighty-three natoriums for consumptive
workInen in Germany. Dr. Brouadels conclu-
sions are that while Germany is considerably IN
advance of France in effective measures against
tuberculosis in adults, the other hand.
France is ahead of Germany in the prevention
and treatment of tuberculosis among children.
c. l. b.