The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-05

and hence 1t will be seen that more
 than II per cent, or about one in nine,
 of the total deaths, was due to tuber- ' culosis. For the year 1907. diphtheria, typhoid
 fever, scarlet fever. measles, pneumo-
 mia, smallpox and whoopinK cough to- ! gether, only caused ninety-eiKht deaths,
 of which number pneumonia furnished forty y-seven and typhoid thirty seven,
 and 1t is practically certain that some of these deaths were due to tubercu- losis, for this disease. in a quiescent
 state often becomes active producing a violent pneumonia condition or q state {, so closely similating typhoid fever that
 1t is frequently diagnosed
 | Here pr. Andrews read tabulated sta tistics to show that the monetary loss from consumption in 1907 was s4s7,i30. "So it will be seen that this city
 last year lost in human life and att l tendant expenses consequent upon final
 sickness. and death of these sufferers from tuberculosis. half million doi- | lars.
 Bear in mind this does not take | into account the loss of wages, etc., of | about 250 cases of consumption which exist in various degrees of illness, and l must soon become totally helpless and | perish if relief Is not given. nor does
 
 of at least one attendant who must serve each of these patients during the last several months of life With these ie- | gitimate expenses added the total sum | would be much greater. fn "The city's bonded debt is 42,300, 900, not a large sum for a municipality of the grandeur and importance of Mont gomery. and one which might be well | increased for the city's betterment ana alxytr I'm l.
 mate, 1t will be seen that there is
 useless loss in valuable life annually 1 of an amount which, In four and a half years, would pay the city's debt. Will it not be a good investment to stop this unnecessary waste? Sixty-o or two- thirds, of the deaths occurred between the ages of IS and 50 years, the period
 of greatest activity and of most value in life. This is a cold-blooded way to consider a question fraught with SO much suffering and distress but men
 will stop and consider when shown useless waste of money whereas a funeral only causes passing notice. Consumption is entirely spreventable and In many instances curable. And wa must take advantage of the impress sion made upon the public to institute as soon as practicable a systematic light against the disease. It will be necessary. among other things, to pro- vide a sanatorium for the advanced and helpless cases and for those who. by a few weeks or months proper care. can have the disease so arrested as to permit them to again take their place in active life. and at the same time be taught how to live so as to prolong their own lives and not endanger others about them. stii+ Montgomery has in her possession plant which. by a nominal expendi- ture of money, can be admirably adapt ed for this purpose. It is too exten- siye and cost entirely too much to hold 1t for the use to which 1t Is put. I refer to the emergency, or smallpox hospital. much smaller and cheaper establishment will fulfll this need. In fact, it Is a reproach upon an inteili- gont people to have smallpox among them. and SO soon as the State Legis- lature passes a compulsory vaccina- ton law, the horrible disease will be entirely eradicated from Alabama. It is the part of wisdom, in the meantime. for every one to be properly vacei- mated and thus secured against this malady.
 T offer this suggestion for the con- sideration of the Mayor and City coun- ell as well as the members of the Board of Revenue, and the twell-to-do and philanthropically Inclined among us, for this is a community interest and one which must be taken hold of | by the county and city and all those l who have the best interest of the com nunity at heart.
 There is & moral side to this ques- | ton. when we know that a given 1 preventable disease is carrying off yearly one in nine of those who die. are we not at least partially responsi- ble unless we institute every means
 known to science to prevent this loss of life?
 "In conclusion. must here publicly express my high appreciation and hanks to Mir. Routzahn for the un- tiring and intelligent way in which he has. through the exhibition and lectures, presented this important sub
 tect to all Montgomery. His work here has proven to be source of in- formation and inspiration to all who
 have been so fortunate as to attend tbese meetings. and both the laity and
 physicians have been greatly enlight- ened by his efforts.
 "The work so auspiciously begun by him will prove of great and lasting benefit to the people of this city and State if it is followed up along the lines he has mapped out "