Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-11-18
The Fight Against Consumption.

tuberculosis established in this
country, is n statement issued to-
day by the National Association
for the Study and Prevention of
Tuberculosis. During the months
of September and October. I6 as
sociations, 10 sanstOria. and ) dis
pensaries were started or provided
for in the United States, making a
record of achievement in anti
tuberculosis activity never before
Iequalied IN any country of the
world. The stimulus for this wave
OF philanthropic endeavor has been
derived largely from the receut
international Congress ON Tuber-
culosis.
From one end OF the country TO
/. the other, men and women a. all
ranks and classes are rising up to
light in the battle against tuber-
culosis. Including tho recently
formed societies, there are at The
present time, 2l1 associations for
the study and prevention of tuher-
culosis in the United States. with
n total membership of over 20. 600,
all engaged in an active war on
consumption. Never before in the
history of the country, has such
an army been msssed to fight
against disease. And, with the
present rate uf Increase sustained,
1t is estimated that the army will
be doubled in size within q year.
On January l, 1905, there were i'm
the United States only "a asSocia-
tions for the study and prevention
of tuberculosis. BY January l.,
1909, there will undoubtedly be
$50 such associations. an increase
of over 500 per cent. The states
which lead in the number OF asso-
Citations are, Massachusetts with
20, New Jersey with %, New York
with 10, Michigan with 16, and
Pennsylvania with II. ThirtyGve
of the forty-siX states have one or
more associations.
These Associations are all philan-
thropic in organization. and are
composed of physicians and lay
men, both men and women, who
are anxious To see the number of
deaths from tuberculosis reduced.
That such organizations are instru-
mental in saving life, may be seen
from the reduced death rates in
several states and cities. In Bos-
ton, the death-rate was reduced
from 21.70 to 1916 per ten thou
sand, largely through the efforts
of the local association. In New
York, it is estimated that the cam
paign againsttuberculosis has saved
10 the city annually at least 5000
lives. In Chicago, a similar re-
duction in the number of deaths
from tuberculosis has been affected.
Atthe head of the great campaign
being carried on throughout the
country, is the National Associa-
tion for the Study and Prevention
of tuberculosis. with President
Roosevelt as one Of its heads and
with nearly 1000 members in
every state in the Union. Allied
with the National body, are 27
State Associations, who are fighting
tuberculosis in their varios states.
And under these state organiza-
tions, or independent of them,
there are nearly 200 associations in
the principal cities of the country.
The increase in the number of
sanatoria at the present time, is
also particularly noteworthy. since
the need for beds for tuberculOus
patients is evident in every state.
! There are, at the present time, $50
sanatOria and hospitals making
special provision for tuberculous
patients, and the entire bed capac-
ity of all of these institutions is but
Is, 800. When it is considered
that there are in the United States,
at least 100000 people suffering
from tuberculosis, ! of which
number is in santoria or hospitals,
the lack of proper bed capacity is
very evident.
The dispensary movement, one
of the later phases in the anti
tuberculosis campaign, is also re-
ceiving great impetus. -Four
years ago, there were 10 dispensa-
ries in the United States; at the
present time, there are 165, and
new ones are being established al
the rate of one a week. These