The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1908-12-17
FOUR HUNDRED SICK FOR ONE
BED.
Startling Revelation Of the Lack Of
Accommodation for consump-
tiVes..

Fifteen thousand beds and 5000
patients, OF 400 consumptives for
every bed, is a statement made today
by the National Association for the
Study and Prevention Of Tuberculosis
in its Investigation as to the need of
beds for destitute consumptives in the
United States.
Gathering statistics from every
State in the country and from every
hospital in which any provision what
ever is made for tuberculosis patients,
it has been found that the total num-
Der of beds provided. both by public
and private resources, is less than
1900. Over against these figures, the
National Association for the Study
and Prevention of Tuberculosis has
placed the fact that there are, ac-
cording to the estimate of the United
States Bureau of the Census, at least
100000 living cases of tuberculosis
in this country and that at least 2O0,-
900 persons die from this disease
every year.
When. analyzed as to their geog-
raphical distribution, New York State
leads the list with 1856 beds, while
Pennsylvania comes next with over
1,500. Colorado and Massachusetts,
each have over 1850, while New Mex
leo, the next in order, has 915 beds
for consumptives. Several states pro-
vide less than 20 beds, among these
being, Delaware, Kansas and South
Carolina, while some Of the States,
such as Idaho, wyoming, Utah and
Nevada, make no provision whatever
for tuberculosis patients, either in
private OF public hospitals.
The Adirondack region IN New York
State; Colorado. and particularly the
regions about Denver and Colorado
Springs; New Mexico, Arizona, and
the Southwest; and North Carolina,
are the principal resorts for consump-
tives. The recent demonstration Of
experts, however, that tuberculosis
can be cured in any climate, has led
to a considerable distribution of the
bed capacity and has called into ex-
istence a sarge number Of small sana-
toria, hospitals, and day camps, some
Of them. with a capacity of only six
beds. This is shown by the fact that,
while the number Of sanatoria during
the last four years has more than
doubled. the increase in the number
OF beds has been only about 50 per
cent.
The most striking fact emphasized
by the investigation is that, while the
lack Of beds for all classes Of con-
sumptives is SO manifest throughout
the country. the number Of beds need
ed for advanced cases Is far greater
than the number needed for an the
ether stages put together. OF the l5-
900 beds at present available for all
classes Of consumptives. less than s.
900 are for advanced cases. Comput-
ing that there are at least 100000 Nv
ing cases in the advanced stages Of
tuberculosis IN the United States at
the present time, the need for a large
number q additional beds for this
mos deserving class is evident Dr.
John S. Billings. Of the Health De.
partment Of New York CITY. estimates
that about 60 to 20 per cent Of the ad.
vanced cases are unable to provide
for their proper care at home. This
means that over 1000 beds IN hospt
tails for advanced cases should be pro.
vided The need for accommodation
for advanced cases ls further empha,
Sled By the fact that every expert and
specialist has agreed on THIS conclu.
sion, that consumption win never I've
eradicatsd untn the advanced cases
Of the disease are isolated. either II
thelr homes or IN institutions. Dr.
Koch ssys. Every case a tuberculo.
als should Be isolated Is long Is b.
chi are there Dr. Arthur News