Arizona republican., 1902-12-05

the French academy of medicine, at the international tuberculosis congress az Berlin. Mir Brouadel says that what most forcibly impressed him during his stay in Berlin was the effective service accomplished by the German life in surance companies in fighting the terA rible malady. Dr. Brouadel is de- scribed by the Tribune correspondent as not merely a scientist. but a man of practical common sense. who, as head of the board of health of the city oT Paris, is accustomed to deal with ab- stract questions in thoroughly busi- ness-like manner.
 Tn Germany" says the doctor "the rected by the highest personages of the land, and notably by the Empress Au gusta Victoria, who devotes a portion of her time almost every day to the noble work she has taken up with gen uine love and enthusiasm. I have no hesitation in saying that next after the empress 1t is to the German life in surance companies that the most credit is due for the satisfactory results already accomplished in Germany"
 Dr. Brouadel then explained that in Prussia workmen's insurance against disease, illness, accident and death Is obligatory. The insurance companies derive from this source an enormous revenue. The insurance companies established in the province of Branden- burg alone realized from workmen's policies in a single year 3,000,000 marks net profit. Each year the companies tion. endowment and maintenance of sanatoriums for the treatment of con- sumptive workmen. This method seems at first sight to be an act of disin- terested charity, but such is not the case, for it is found that the insurance companies have actually increased their profits by their liberal endow- ments. The situation in Prussia s this:
 | The insurance actuaries compiled sta tistics which proved that one-third of the total number of workmen to whom. or to whose heirs, pensions or indemni- ties had been paid were victims of | tuberculosis. The boards of direct ors then asked whether it would not be more profitable to cure the invalids and prevent death instead of paying out premiums and indemnities and pen sions. Investigations made on these lines by the actuaries showed conclu- sively that the margin of profit would he considerably increased by adopting such a course, and this was done i've years ago.
 After lapse of three years. during which the sanatorium system had been esta blished on a solid basis and brought into efficient working order, the actuaries were instructed to make new reports based on the data and statistics resulting from the three years trial. The result proved that no less than 60 per cent of the workmen who had left the sanatoriums after treatment and cure did not during an entire year have a single days illness such as to prevent them rom going to work.
 This result is extraordinary, and, as the insurance of workmen is obligatory in Prussia, it will readily be seen that the method of prevention and cure is for the insurance companies not only charitable but profitable. There arc already eighty-three sanatoriums fol consumptive workmen in Germany. Dr. Brouadels conclusions are that, while |, Germany is considerably in advance ol France in effective measures against tuberculosis in adults. on the other hand, France is ahead of Germany in the prevention and treatment of tuber- culosis among children.