The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-19
CONDITIONS
APPALLING
About 400 consumptives for
Every Bed Provided.
CURE NOT DIFFICULT
National Gathering Claims
in Early Stages.
Death Rate to be Cut in Half
When Enough Beds are Provid-
ed-Plea for Help.

NHN bONo OVVyVVO UdlltuJS, vi
400 consumptives for every bed, is a
statement made by the National
Association for the Study and
Prevention of Tuberculosis in it's
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
whatever is made for tuberculous
patients, 1t has been found that the
total humber of beds provided, both
by public and private resources, is
less than $4,000. Over against these
figures, the National Association
for the Study and Prevention of
Tuberculosis has placed the fact
that there are, according to the esti-
mate Of the United States Bureau of
the Census. at least 100000 living
cases of tureculosis in this coun-
try and that at least 100000 persons
die from this disease every year.
When analyzed as to their gedgh-
raphlca distribution, New York
State leads the list with 1856 beds,
while Pennsylvania comes next
with over 1900 Colorado and Mass
achusetts each have over 1850,
whlle New Mexico, the next in order
has 915 beds for consumptlves.
Several States provide 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 problsion whatever for tuber-
culous patients, either in private
or pubic hospitals.
The Adirondack region In New
York State, Colorado, and particu-
farly the regions about Denver
and Colorado Springs, New Mexico
Arizona and the Southwest; and
North Carolina, are the principal
resorts for consumptives. The recent
demonstrations of experts, however,
that tuberculosis can be cured in
any climate, has led to consid-
erable distribution of the bed capac-
ity and has called into existence a
large number of small sanatoria,
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
duning the last four years has more
Hnuh1nl tn, hn
number of beds has been only about
80 per cent.
The most striking fact emphasiz-
ed by the investigation is that, while
the number of sanatoria during the
last four years has more than
doubled, the increase In the num-
Der of beds has been only about
so per cent.
The most striking fact emphasized
by the investigation is that, white
the lack of beds for all classes of
consumptives Is so manifest through
out the country, the number of beds
needed for advanced cases is far
greater than the number needed for
all the other stages put together.
or the $4,000 beds at present
available for all classes of con-
sunptives, less than 5000 are for
advanced cases. Computing that
there are at least 100000 living
cases In the advanced stages OF
tuberculosis in the United States at
the present time, the need for a
large number of additional beds for
this most deserving class is evident.
DR., John S. Billings, of the Health
Department of New York city esti-
mates that about so TO 70 per cent
of the advanced cases are unable to
provide for their proper care at
home. This means that over 10000
beds. In hospitals for advanced cases
should be provided The need for
accommodation for advanced cases
Is further emphasized by the fact
that every expert and specialist has
agreed on this conclusion, that con-
sumption will never be eradicated
until the advanced cases OF the dis
ease are isolated. either In the
homes or in institutions. DR.. Koch
says ''Bvery case of tuberculosis
should be isolated as long as bac-
iii are there" DIR. Arthur New
sholme, one OF the best English
specialists on tuberculosi, says that
the only way in which the death
rate frpm consumption can be re-
duced is by segregating all advanc-
ed cases, because these are the cen
ters of infection from which the
disease spreads.
1t Is not diflcult, the National
Association afiirms, to cure con-