Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18

consumption a year in New York state!
The death rate per thousand of popula-
ton from tuberculosis is higher In Troy
Cohoes and NeWburgh than in New 1ork
city. Such facts and many others have
caused the State Charities Aid Associa-
ton of New York to initiate a movement
in the state to accomplish what the com
mttee on the prevention of tuberculosis
has tested by experience in the metropolis.
The association has begun in Utica. Al
bany, Troy and In other cities cam
paign with three fundamental plans In
view: (a) to cause adequate provision Tor
the care of consumption; (b) to promote
the education of the community as to
preventive measures, and (c) to promote
hygienic measures that have a bearing
on the prevention of tuberculosis. Dur
ton regarding the prevention and cure
of consumption will be disseminated at
various county fairs, a novel and e1ectNe
way of spreading information.
4 feature of the state campaign has
| been kind of tuberculosis revival meet
ing mass meeting at which the clti-
ZenS arc stimulated by speakers OF eX-
perience and wide reputation to an awak-
ened social conscience. The working
program of the association is constructed
not so much for country hamlets as for
the smaller cities of the state THE sub
Stitution of care and assistance for care
lessness and neglect Is in substance the
entire program. The sanatora for IN
cipient cases: the hospital for advanced
cases: the tuberculosis dispensaries at
| which the individual patient can receive
medical attention and advice: the visiting
! nurse who can see that the advice is
carried into effect in the patients house;
| the charitable organizations TO see that
! while the consumptive is receiving nos
| pita he can rest assured that MS
wife and children are provided for. ana
| the application of q few simple meas
ures of public hygiene. constitute a work
| ing program for the prevention and cure
! of the terrible scourSe known as the
| great white plague No other oppor-
| tunity for the promotion of social Wen
being compares with this one. and our
duty is measured by the opportunity.
Yet there are forty-six states in the ma
| ton. and the efforts of one state may be
| largely nullified if a contiguous state Is
lax or indifferent in the face of this
| disease that travels with the rapidity OF
| every train or wind Set side by side
| with DR. Welch's statement that at pres
ent one of every three persons dying In
| the prime of life dies of consumption are
| his further words of good cheer. that
lit is conservative statement that at
| least one-half of the existing sickness
| and mortality from tuberculosis could be
! prevented within the next two decades
| by the application of national and en-
| tirely practicable measures. In Prussia
| the death rate from tuberculosis has
diminished about 40 per cent in the last
| twenty wears. In Sweden there has been
| ment of New York city. largely through
the admirable work of DR.. Hermann
| Biggs, has achieved a triumph In this
| regard that has attracted the attention
| of sanitarians throughout the world.
A National Organization.
| CD Therefore. there exists in our coun-
| try very active National Association for
the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis,
with a membership numbering well to-
| ward 1000 comprising the ablest ply
| sicians and the most interested laymen
| in the Tuberculosis fight. Each one
| Of these members. or rather each group
| of members, has as d general rule be-
| come the nucleus about which local ef-
| forts have centered. Fer instance. the
| nucleus of the State Charities Aid AsSo-
cations tuberculosis committee. mentioned
| above came from the National Associa-
| ton One of the leading functions OF
the National ASSocia ;iCn has been. in the
| four years of its existence. the stimu!at-
ing of tate committees to various activf-
/ ties The National Association acts also
as kind of clearing house for general
information on tuberculosis. 1t originates,
| appropriates and develops methods OF
| educating the public The Charity
| Organization Society in New York evolved
| the idea of the travelling tuberculosis ex-
| hibtion. with its charts and pictures. its
| lung blocks in miniature and its 'hor-
| rible examples" of human lungs before
| and after infection with tuberculosis.
The national committee appropriated very