The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-05-30
TWO TWO G'R H. | VICTORIES
N WHITE PLAGUE WAR.
Bills Signed in New York State
and For District Of Co. !
lumbia.
Legislation Will Do Much to Help
Stamp Out the Dread Dis F.
ease-TuberculOsis.

great victories have just been
won in the Holy War Of the Goth
Century, most apt and appropriate
title given to the campaign which is
being waged throughout the world to
stamp out the Great White Plague"
These two victories were scored by
the almost simultaneous signing Of
two of the most important bills which
vention of tuberculosis. One bill,
signed by President Roosevelt, enacts
most comprehensive legislation for the
District Of Columbia-legislation
which has been sought for a number
Of years. President Roosevelt in re-
fering to the crusade against tubercu-
losis In recent letter to DR.. Law
renee F. Flick, chairman Of the COM
mittee on arrangements for the inter-
national congress said:
Crusade Of Much Importance.
THE Importance of the crusade
against tuberculosis, in the interest ,of
which this congress convenes, cannot
be over estimated when it is realized
that tuberculosis costs our country
two hundred thousand lives a year,
year, besides constituting a most seri-
Gus handicap to material progress,
prosperity and happiness, and being
an enormous expense to society, most
often in those walks of life where the
burden ia least bearable.
Science has demonstrated that this
disease can be stamped out but the
rapidity and completeness with which
this can be accomplished depend upon
the promptness with which the new
doctrines about tuberculosis can be in
culcated into the minds Of the people
and engrafted upon our customs, hab-
it's and laws.
"The modern crusade against tuber-
culosis brings hope and bright pros
poets Of recovery to hundreds and
thousands Of victims Of the disease,
who undr old teachings were aban-
doned to despair"
Step Towards Saving $1,000 Lives.
In signing the other bill in question,
Gov. Chas. E. Hughes took most i'm
portant step toward saving $4,000
lives and $70,135, 900! This bill, re-
garded as one Of the most important
measures from the point of view Of
social legislation, which has been en-
acted in a number of years, passed
the legislature, in the closing days Of
the last session. 1t Is entitled: IAN
act, defining the powers and duties Of
local health officers and boards Of
| health in the matter of the protection
of the people of the. state of New
York from the disease known as
tuberculosis" The great Importance
of measure designed for the purpose
Indicated In the title quoted can ba
fully comprehended only when one
pictures to himself the vast amount Of
poverty and distress incident to the
annual loss, in this state alone. Of
more than $4,000 lives. Nor can one
who has not had experience in work
for the relief Of these poor. unfortu-
mates picture to himself the pitiful
sufferings Of poor consumptives that
are forced each year, through inability
| longer to work. from their homes to
| poorer and poorer quarters, until too
often they are compelled to pass their
| last days In an aims house. But from
| a purely material standpoint, the far
reaching significance Of this measure,
If it succeed in diminishing the dread
| full death rate, will scarcely be cred
| tied by one who has givn but little
| thought to this great question. Valu-
ing human life at $4,000, the econ
| omic loss to the state Of New York in
| the year 1906 was $7O,135,000.
Referring to this bill, DR.. William
! H. WEIGH of Johns Hopkins univer-
sity other than whom there is no
greater authority on this subject in
the country, recently wrote:
Bill in Accordance With Demands.
I'm my judgment this bill has been
framed in accordance with the de-
| mands of modern sanitary science as
related to the prevention of tubercu-
| losis, and the provisions Of the bill
have not gone in any respect beyond
| what is practicable and Is supported
by the best expert opinion on the ad-
minfstrat1ve control Of tuberculosis.
+ II regard the notification Of cases
Of tuberculosis to the health authori-
,, ties, as provided for In this bill, as
| fundamental to the successful control
| Of the disease. While objection has
been made by some physicians to this
provision, experience in New York
City, Maryland and elsewhere has
demonstrated that notification Of
tuberculosis is entirely practicable, is
quickly accepted by physicians AMI
the public, and Is free from the objec-
ton which some had predicted.
1.-THE enactment Of this bill into law
:. and the execution Of the law will
| place the state of New York in the