Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-06
DEATHS DUE TO TUBERCULOSIS
Addresses Upon Conditions in Wash
ington at Church of Covenant

The regular hour for prayer meeting
service at the Church of the Covenant
18th street and Connecticut avenue, Thurs
day evening. was devoted to the Associated
Charities committee on the prevention OF
consumption. The speakers detailed by the
committee were Gen George NJ. Sternberg.
former surgeon general of the United
States army. and Mr.. Charles F. Weller.
general secretary of the Associated Char
tiles. General Sternberg described the
character of several infections and pre-
ventable diseases. and told especially the
means by which tuberculosis, or consump-
ton, may be cured and may be prevented.
He especially emphasized the fact that
while tuberculosis cannot be inherited,
predisposing physical weakness may de-
scend from parents to children. and this
weakness may also be occasioned by insan-
itary surroundings.
The general stated that the poorer people
of Washington. especially the poorest col
ored people in the alleys, are living in the
same conditions in which the population
lived in Europe in the middle ages, when
the plaques and epidemcs which Stayed
their thousands were made possible through
the insanitary and unwholesome surround
ings which characterized the homes OF the
poor. The speaker made an earnest plea
for the improvement of housing conditions
as a means of Graduating the great mod
ern white plague OF tuberculosis, winch
causes the death OF go people every year
Mr. Weller used special stereopticon views
to Illustrate his remarks, and compared the
steady, unremittent scourges of consump-
ton with the exceptional single cdtastro-
ply of the great Baltimore fire. He showed
how consumption had a recorded history
of 1900 years, and that during that time
one In every seven of all deaths had been
due to tuberculosis. Pictures were shown
explaining the appearance and life history
of the tubercle bacillus and explaining how
Ii passes from conSumpttye TO anothtr
victim The modern means OF curing the
disease were also illustrated Like the first
speaker, Mr.. Weller emphasized the fact
that whatever weakens the resisting power
of the human body makes it easier for the
germs of consumption to develop, and ne
therefore made plea for the Improvement
of housing conditions, the development OF
summer outings, the establishment OF pub
lie play grounds and the work OF volunteer
friendly visitors as means or raising the
standards of life among needy people and
Increasing their power to resist the in
reads of disease. The speaker urged that
all who were present should attend the spe-
cial mass meeting to be held on Wednes-
day May 49, at the First Congregational
Church In the interest of summer outings
and public play grounds for the present
season. when 1t is hoped that the useful
work carried on In these two lines last
summer may be repeated and enlarged.
An unusually large number or people were
present On Thursday evening, ana great
deal of interest was manifested In the cru
SADIE against consumption which is being
conducted by the committee of the Asso-
ciated Charities, who are arranging for
four or five lectures every week In various
churches of the city as the best means
of reaching the entire population with In
structions as to how consumption may De
cured and may be prevented.