Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-28
PROPOSED SANATORIUM
FOR C0NSUMPTI\IES
Dr. ". B. LaForce in a Paper Before
Health Officers Says State Should Act
for Benefit Of Sufferers.

vi DullOItlSs
results. but because they are a paying
investment. Their members before
the day of sanatoria, were burden to
the companies for few years, draw
ing sick benefits from week to week,
until finally the families drew the
death loss. Now, such patients are
treated In the sanatoria for six months
ana such a large proportion of them
are able to return to their work and
pay dues again for several years, so
that the companies are more than re-
lmbursed for the expense Of the sana-
toria.
consregate the consumptives.
1t is now definitely determined that
the chief cause of the spread Of tuber-
culosis is the sputum Of a consumptiye
which is allowed to dry, and contamin-
ate the air, and then Is breathed into
the lungs. In the sanatoria, very espe-
cial, rigid and exacting measures are
required in the disposal Of the sputum
therefore; besides being the best
method of curing consum ptiyes, the
sanatoriun affords the greatest pro-
lection to the non-tubercular by elimin-
ating the different sfoci of infection, II
there are 10000 deaths from con-
sumption in the United States In one
year, there are probably as many other
cases that will not die until the next
year, thus making over 220,0 900 :foci
for the spread of the disease. If these
could be congregated in sanatoria,
and their sputum properly cared for,
there would probably not be one-tenth
as many cases the succeeding year. :.
Next to Germany, England has
made most use Of the sanatorium meth
cd, and BY thus congregating the tuber-
cular individuals, and thus eliminat-
ing thousands of fool of infection. the
mortality of the country has already
been reduced one-half. What won
derful result for a, few years, and what
might not the result be If the mum Der
OF sanatoria were doubled or trebled! y
The state Of Massachusetts has by
similar means decreased it's mortality
from consumption nearly the same de-
gree, and, Ito repeat what stated in
my previous paper) there is good reas-
on for believing that If we live up to
the knowledge we already possess re-
garding the method Of spreading Of
tuberculosis, and also of It's control.
we could, in a few decades cause tu-
berculosis to be as scarce as Ieprosy
now Is.
The Cost of Loss Of Life.
"In considering the economic loss
from consumption DIR. Herman Biggs
estimates as the value to the state Of
each life at the average age Of those
who die from consumption, viz: from
fifteen to thirty years, as $500; sure
ly the cost of each life UP to that age
is considerably more than that
amount. According to this estimate
the loss of life from consumption of
the lungs is S2,707,5O0. The loss from
inability TO work for 300 days at $1.O0
per day, likewise low estimate, to
say nothing about expense for medi-
cine, medical attendance, nursing. etc.,
entail an additional loss of $241, 500,
making a total financial loss to the
state Of Iowa each year $2,949 900.
I'm addition to this indirect loss to
the state is the direct loss Of amounts
paid by the counties or towns in the
support of the poor who are consump-
tive in the county poor houses, and by
specific grants of money, provisions,
medicines and medical attendance to
the consumptive poor in their homes,
Then there is also the necessary ex-
pense of support Of the different mem
bers Of the family when the bread.
winner is sick or dead from consump-
ton. III
Many consumptives Receive Aid
II have made special efforts to as
certain how many consumptive pa
tents there are in the state receiving
public aid outside Of the insane hos
pitfalls, penitentiaries, and other insti-
buttons under the management of the
state board Of control To this end
wrote to all the superintendent of the
county poor farms, county hospitals,
and to many county physicians, and
sending return card with blanks to be
filled out with the number of such pa
tients. received replies from forty
five counties, less than half, and there
was reported 101 consumptives receiy-
ing public aid, either at the poorhouse
or elsewhere.
When Changes Should Be Made.
"In many of the replies it was stated
that the report was from the county
poorhouse only. and that it was not
known how many outside of the poor
house were being helped, assuming
that there were nearly as many in the.
counties that did not report that would
make, 200 pauper consumptives. More
over, nearly every physician knows Of
one or more consumptiVes who would
be thrown onto the county for support
if it was not. for some charitably in
clined people or organizations.
Thus you see there are more than
enough poor consumptives in the.
state to fill an average sanatorium.
Certain orphan asylums in Ohio report
the number orphans present be-
cause one or both parents had died Of
consumption to be over fifty per cent,
One reasan of such a high percentage
is that consumption attacks oftenest
young adults, and often before. they
have received much permanent sup.
port for their families
Cheap to the State.
1.-THE cost .of life insurance is de-,
pendent on the mortality tables. These
show that among the insured, that is,