The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-08
blems Confronting Social Workers Discussed Yesterday
WHITE PLAGUE KILLS
NEGROES BY THOUSAND
Increase in Death Rate Not Due to Racial Prejudice Says
DR.. GrandyNationa Sanitorlm in Rocky
Mountain Region Proposed

Questions relating to the ravages OF
tuberculosis among negroes and the
establishment OF national sanatoriulu
| for these afflicted with the white
| plague were discussed yesterday at q
meeting OF the public health section of
the National Conference in the Senate
chamber Of the State Capitol Or.
Charles r. Grandy, Of Norfolk. who
read a paper on THE Consumptive
a bit startling to delegates far re-
moved from the centre OF negro popu-
| laton.
Showing BY the record that nearly
| three times as many deaths from tu-
| berculosis occur among negroes as
among the whites In the United States,
Or. Grandy suggested some OF the rea-
sons, supporting them with facts
! brought under his personal observation.
He indicated that there Is physical
radisposition. or lack Of resistance, to
the disease In the negro, and that be-
cause OF mental condition he is unable
| to meet the conditions of American
city life which he now confronts.
Unknown In slavery Days.
Consumption was practically I'M
known among the negroes previous TO
the Civil War" said the speaker.
When the race led an orderly life
the disease was seldom contracted.
physicians to-day are unable to account
| for It's spread Negroes haven't the
material resisting power of theS whites.
They are not accustomed to the cold,
and in winter they shut themselves In
| small houses, excluding air and proper
ventilation. The houses are poor, the
race has no idea OF the value of ven
tilation: It lacks proper nourishment
and faces poverty. Thrown upon its
own resources only small percentage
is able to combat the disease. Seem
ingly. the negroes do not care, although
have known Of case where man
deserted his wife because she had
tuberculosis.
"Overcrowdng and poor food are two
OF the main causes for the prevalence
OF Tuberculosis among the negroes.
They will not put up with any system
OF cure. They are unwilling to
acknowledge that they have it. and
their unwillngness to persevere Is the
reason why they will not be cured. At
Petersburg we have been able to ac-
complish something because the ne
groes, being insane, are forced to COM
ply with regulations
Not Due to Racial Prejudice.
To show that tuberculosis is not due
to racial prejudice. DR.. Grandy said
tndt the negro oSdln Tdte dI A>OElOlk
for instance, is much lower than that
at Washington. Boston and other East
ern cities, where there is a better
system OF sanitation. with better
houses for the negroes.
Education" he said. has been OF
no service, as is shown by the spread
and increase. The task is to teach the
negroes that they must lead moral and
temperate lives; that they must have
country air instead Of the squalid sur
roundings Of city life, and that they
must give up the dance hall and the
bar-room. They must be made to obey
the rules. We should begin teaching
| the child: we should have nurseries
and kindergartens. and we should have
a registration law by which the author
tiles can have an accurate idea of the
number OF victims"
DR.. Grandy said there is no sanato-
rum for white people, which is more
important than one for negroes, as the
latter will be an uncertain proposition.
For National Snnatorfum.
Speaking for Colorado. which Is a
haven of refuge for thousands of tuber-
cular patients, Mr.. Frank j. Bruno. OF
Colorado Springs. urged the establish
ment OF a national santorium in that
State as the most economic way OF
h
conservative estimate showed that so
per cent. of the residents of Colorado
came from other sections to get the
benefit of the air. 1.-The Rocky Noun
tain region Is the preferable loca ton
for such an institntion." said Mr.
Bruno.
The people of my State feel the need
of more adequate provision for tho
treatment of poor consumptives. Many
go there without the necessary means
of support. They believe that they can
find light work which will sustain them
during the course OF treatment, but
this hope is impracticable. Our local
charities are absolutely unable to take
care of all demands
Mr.. Bruno described the sanitorium
plan. saying that it could be maintains
ed at an expense OF 81 a day to each
patient. 1t would not be wise, lie
thought, to place any dependence in
the theory that consumptives can re-
duce the cost by work, as no faith
, should be put in that idea. The ques-
ton as to who should be eligible is
rather difficult of solution. III tho
government undertook to provide this
institution he added the people
might shirk the responsibility, belev-
ing that the government could better
afford to pay the expense. 1t should
ne s"Ppo''Su ~ fi'.".o $500. .ai'A' .'e'
than by public foundation, the matter
of finance and inmates being left to the
charity organization societies of this
country"
state Crowded Already.
Mr.. Bruno declared that Colorado
conference delegates have complained
at previous conferences againsr the in
discriminate sending OF tubercular
patients to that State.
"a national sanat orium would not be
"a panncea for this evil" he continued
"but it would be source OF tremen-
dous benefit. 1t would seem that some
physicians send patients to Colorado
when they do not know what to do
with them"
There was a general discussion OF
the tuberculosis question. The consti-
tutional right of the government to