The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1908-10-30

The great white plague costs The peo-
pie Of the United States over a billion
dollars each year. This statement was
made by Prof. Irving Fisher Of Yale
before one of the sections II the tuber-
cuIosis congress. He estimates that
consumption kills l3S,0oo every year in
the United States. This Is equal to tbs
deaths from typhoid fever, scarlet fever.
diphtheria. appendicitis. meningitis.
| diabetes. smallpox and cancer all put
together. Then again. Ii generally takes
three years 10 die. during which time
the poor victim al earn little or moth
ing. Finally the scourge picks ont Its
| victims when they are young men and
young women, Mt the very time they are
beginning to earn money. The mint
mum cost Of such items as doctors Bills.
medicines. nursing aud less ~ earnings
before death amounts ta over $2,4oO IN
each case, while the earning power
which might have been" Ii death had
not come, brings the total cost to at
least 5000. If this Is multiplied by
l lAS l1p.NSV ufdtiiN wv AAtt AN 49,
bigger than the almost i~ncalculable sum
of 81. 0O0.OO0.OO0. Prof. Fisher esti-
mates that over half Of this cost gener-
ally falls on the luckless victim him
self. but the cost to others Is over $40
100000 n year. As a matter OF self
defense 1t would be worth while to the
community. he shows, In order to save
merely a quarter of the lives now lost
BY consumption, to invest $5.5o0.Oo0,aOp.
At present only a fraction Of l per cent
of this money is being used to fight the
disease. Five million people now Nv
ing In the United States are doomed to
fll consumptives' graves unless some
thing Is done TO prevent it. As each
death means anxiety and grief for a
whole family. he estimated that there
will be over 2o.Oo0,oOO persons rendered
miserable by these deaths
1t has beef reported that District
Attorney Jerome OF New York had
been asked by William Nelson Crom'
well. organizer Of big trusts and coun-
sci for the government In the purchase
of Panama Canal rights, to investigate
charges of blackmail against n Alex
ander f.. Bacon. who claims to have
found evidence that n part at least OF
the $40. 100000 paid for those rights by
the United States went TO Cromwell
indirectly. The story told was to the
effect that American ~financiers had
bought largely the stock of the French
company prior to the purchase by the
American government. It was SAID
that the Cromwell syndicate had net
ted $4,000 eco In the deal. BY order
OF the SECRETARY of War an investisa-
ton has been begun at New York OF
charges brought by Presidnt Brothers
of the Balanced Gable Crane Company
of Baltimore. who claims that he was
deprived of a contract for Panama Ca
nal work, although he was the lowest
bidder.
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Ever since the passage Of the pure
food law, manufacturers have com
planned of the injustice of denying
them the use OF the small amount OF
pr~eservatives necessary 10 keep certain
kinds or food products from fermenta-
ton or other form OF deterioration.
Professor Wiley of the Bureau Of
Chemistry In the Department OF Agri-
culture has appointed q pure food com
mittee, to represent the different States
having pure food laws. the object of
which will be to harmonic the State
laws with the laws Of the government
The committe will also. without doubt,
define what Is a safe amount of preser
vative to be used. Ii Is said that there
has beer an increase OF ptomain-poi'
soning since the pure food law wen,
into effect, but perhaps the statement
like some OF the food products. car
best be taken with a grain OF sailor
of boracic acid.
-:
After taking observations OF the
Wright trial flights at Fort sfyer, thu
Navy Department has set forth b re
quirements of aeroplanes that win 5t
acceptable TO that department for Use
In scouting aud dispatch bearing. They
must be able to float on the water and
rise from II without extra aid. Tbe1
mrst De supported wholly by the all
without the aid Of a gas bag. Eacl
machine Is to carry two persons and 1
sufficient amount Of fuel for a confirm
GUS flight Of IN miles for four hours
at an average speed Of forty miles al
hour. They must he able to light with
out damage on either land or waite
and float on the water without victim.
any OF the supporting areas.
-.
The Secretary OF the Navy has writ
ten a letter TO Robert Conkiin. masteI
OF arms at the United States nava
training station at Newport. commend
Ing him for his fearless action in jump
ing overheard fully dressed and res
cuing from drowning Woodward Phelps
a G-year-old boy. at Newport. Ang =
asst.
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