The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1909-04-07
THE PRESS AND THE WAR AGAINST
CONSUMp rIeN.

n just trlOute TO the power anC
influence of the press is paid by
the National Association for tn G
Study and Prevention of Tuber.
culosis, when it says that the
newspapers, of all the agencies
at work. Is giving the greatest
aid in the war being waged
against consumption, which dread
disease numbers its victims by
the hundreds of thousands in the
United States annually; and il
will never be wiped out, says the
Association, until the widespread
ignorance concerning it is over
come, hence the Inauguration of
the present campaign of educa
ton. Some idea OF the magni-
tude of the work being done by
the newspapers In this country
In disseminating literature in re
lation to the study and preven-
tion OF consumption may be gath
cred from the fact that the agere-
gate space devoted thereto aver
ages over $4,000 column inches a
week. or, as the Association ex.
presses it, nearly one-half mile
OF publicity week. The Asso-
citation has been compiling some
statistics on the subject, OF which
it says:
The investigation which the
National Association conducted
included all of the daily and
weekly newspapers throughout
the United States as well as some
of the larger journals and maga-
zines. In the two weeks which
were taken as a standard, 1T was
found that ,557 column inches
Of space was devoted TO the sub
ject of tuberculosis. If all of
this matter were gathered to-
gether at one time, it would make
a newspaper the ordinary size OF
800 pages printed solid, without
any advertisements. all on the
subject of tuberculosis. 1t it
were arranged in one long chain,
it would make single column of
matter fOur-tifths OF a mile long
and two and one quarter inches
wide.
Continuing the Association
says:
Within a years time thousands
of tons OF leaflets, aggregatlng
over one hundred million pages.
are distributed by the various or
CARNATIONS engaged in the war
fare against tuberculosis. Bnt
more than all Of these individual
agencies. the National Associa-
ton believes that the press is the |
greatest means Of educating the !
masses concerning this disease.
Ii the present rate of interest or
fta part of the newspaper world |
continues, il liz estimated that |
within lew years every mau. |
woman and child in the United |
States will have learned the sIm
nSs doctrines Of tuberculosis.
Now to bring the matter home.
what are we doing here III Ian
caster TO check the ravages Of
the great white plague Time
and again we have IN these col
umns directed attention I" he
organization OF anti tuberculosis
leagues in other cities aud toW us
and urged the formation of on"
here. We have appealed to the
medical association OF the coun-
ty, to the physicians individually
and to the public generally, to
take steps TO effect an Crganiza-
tion to fight consumption, Dut as
vet there is nothing doing y
This community and this couu,y
eau i'll afford 10 remain lOnsel
Indifferent 10 \ move ment which
means so much for the saving OF
human life aud the conservation
of health, and which is rapidly
extending throughout the length
and breadth Of these United
States.
The April number of THE Red