New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-10
GAIN ON WHITE PLAGUE.
Board of Health Has Reduced
Death Rate go Per Cent.

That the Board OF Health has reduced the death
rate from tuberculosis by 20 per cent in the last
decade is one OF the opening statements OF the
third annual report of the committee on the-pre-
vention OF tuberculosis of the Charity Organization
Society. This city. says the report, leads the world
in the number Of its deaths from consumption and
the number Of It's oonsumptive patients. although
It has not the highest death rate.
No other city does much Cor its consumptives.
The Charities Department maintained 1858 patients
IN its cwn hospitals in the last year, and paid for
the treatment of ass patients in private insttutions
each month. The other public agencies for the care
Of oonsumptives eight special tuberculosis dis
pensaries, the special arrangements Of Bellevue
Hospital the seaside work Of the Association Cor
Improving the Condition of the Poor the work OF
the Diet Kitchen Association and the similar work
Of the United Hebrew Charities and the Charity
Organization Society. OF the work Of the Tens-
nnent House Department the report says;
Those who are fighting the disease of the tene-
ments" are looking to this newly ORGANIZED ., oe-
sF T nsrar oT Sed aa foG air SHAFTS and
filthy school sinks replaced By the new law tene-
vide courts and sanitary plumbing The State
Labor Bureau If II could enforce the new law con-
and the factory laws already on the statute books,
would perhaps prove ISoF even n doing
away with conditions which work for tuberculosis
however even an energetic commissioner eager to
enforce the law. may not 90 as the law commences
We have. then. a city where many and poWelEL .1
culosis. But It Is also city with 66QVoO DARK IL
terror bedrooms, with more than $1,000 persons SUI
ferng from tuberculosis and with registered deaths
from tuberculosis numbering, last year, S7S3 with
the old three story dwelling giving way TO tne new
SIX and seven story tenement, with crowded Qua[-
after row of tenenents appearing where but little
while ago were vacant lots
The societies interested In checking and curing
tuberculosis have sent out quantities OF literature
telling the people how to for themselves and
the patients under their care. Lectures have been
held especially in the poorer neighborhoods' for
the benefit Of the consumptives. The Board OF Ed
ucation has disseminated information both through
its public lectures and through its teachers Then
says the reporti
Potentially our strongest ally IN our work ct
popular education is organized labor. The fact
most Of the labor unions of the city are aInnate9
has for four successive terms of six months each
rotary of their committee on sanitation, at
tests its appreciation of the bearing which tuber-
umns Of their papers are open to us, and to linn
tied extent we may obtain hearing 1t their meet
inEs.
The COMMITTEES has made Ave Investigations in
the last year-in the lodging houses, in tho post
offices. regarding the employment OF consump-
tives in the tenments. in the prisons and IN the
subway The work in the pcstofices is the only
one which has yet born fruit. In connection with
the report of the inspection In the houses
the report assertst
There are many well qualified judges who IN
equvocally state that the streets IN a our b
that they are not clean. It would seem that the
kept pace with the increase in the demands made
are a9 Cleaned IS almost as Important as wether they
are cleaned. and though many streets are now
more where the dry broom is all day long scatter
ing among passersby and into houses the dust,
which Is such regular accompaniment Of life In