New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-20
work the commlttee i.aues the f2nowlng SIC

work the committee issues the following state
ment:
The year 1906 notable IN one respect not
realized by many though few Of the great in
cdents Of that year will have a larger bearing
upon the future Of this country and state.
Through the agency OF the tuberculosis exhibit
ton. the appeal to the public conscience I'm
many parts Of the country Of the enormity OF
the situation presented by tuberculosis bears
promise OF benefits for which future generations
freed from this wasteful. preventable disease
may yet rise up and forgive US of the present
time many Of the sins writ Iarge upon the
records of these opening years OF the new cen
fury For the first time any considerable num-
her Of persons have had brought home them
in an understandable and vivid fashion what
this disease of tuberculosis or consumption. IS:
what ii means 10 them and the race and why
they should give to the rapidly forming
organized movements for the prevention of
tuberculosis their Jealous support.
Starting with an exhibition held in New York
City by the National Association for the Study
committee. there have been held in New York
City and in other places. as Boston. Phadel-
phia Chicago Milwaukee, fourteen tuberculosis
exhibitions. which have been visited by ;;WOO
persons These exhibitions show in a popular
way what has been known even to the medical
procession fOr OnlE Few years that tubercu-
ioSlS Is a communicable disease, that il Is a
durable disease. and best and most important OF
all, that it is preVentable disease. This is
demonstrated by lectures. by photographs OF
sanatOria hospitals and dispensaries for the
treatment ana cure of tuberculosis, by many
models Of tenement houses, sleeping shaC ks and
''lean-tOs.' 10y diagrams and charts showing the
prevalence of the disease in the population at
large, and especially I'm certain sections and in
certain occupations. by pathological specimens
of infected lungs and other organs of the body.
The whole subject is presented In such "A way
as 10 carry conviction with if and TO lead To a
realization that effort to stamp out the disease
is worth while
In New York State there have been held one
exhibition In the fail during the meeting at SYRIA
CUSe OF the association composed of the health
officers of the state. and fourteen exhibitions
with attendance Of ninety-four thousand per
sons IN the tenement house section of New York
city, in addition 10 the first exhibition already
mentioned But. aside from these signs Of
awakening. The people of this state remain for
the most part unconcernedly sleeping perhaps
here and there tossing about little at the gen
Tie rapping OF local health board or a per-
sistent citizens organization. or, as in New York
City, fairly routed by a Health Department
whose energy and perseverance are the adnira-
ton OF all who know 1t.
This attitude of Indifference on the part OF
the public is remarkable when II is realized that
fourteen thousand persons every year dying
in this state from disease now definitely known
as preVentable. Fourteen thousand deaths "a
money loss of $30.000.00O the slow, torturing
suffering OF this neglected army OF sufferers.
the sorrow 10 tens OF thousands, the children
left without protectors. the parents husbands
and wives made deSOlate, the thousands uDOn
thousands infected because of ignorant careless
ness-this, in brief is the price paid for this
public unconcern, for ignorance and shortsight-
edness.
There was formerly the same attitude toward
the plague, typhus and smallpox diseases that
then raVaged the civilized world and which now
have BEEN SO far successfully warrsd against