The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-03-03
FIGHT AGAINST 1useRcuLosIs
Worklnsmen are Organizing Against
a DANGEROUS zoe.

No movement is at the present time
more deeply stirring the ranks of or
gained labor throughout the United
States than the campaign against tn
berculosis. Politics, strikes. bOycotts,
and all other issues are being side
tracked to make way for the fight.
which is to save the lives of thous-
ands Of the labOring men. Meetings
are being held and movements started
in hundreds Of cities for the purpose
of stimulating the labor forces to &C
tiyity in anti-tuberculosis work
This uprising against the worst foe
Of the workingmen is of such growth
that In spite of its present magnitude
and daily development, few people are
aware of its significance and impor-
lance. Several years ago some of
the larger national and international
labor unions, notably, the printers and
cigar makers, began an anti-tubercu-
losis movement among their members,
which resulted in the establishment
by the printers of a sanatorium in Col
orado Springs. Two years ago Mr..
Paul Kennaday, of New York, spoke
before the American Federation of La
Dor, and stirred many OF the other
unions to definite action against tu-
| berculosis. This movement ripened
about a year ago, when in Albany, n.
Y, the laboring men got together and
built pavilion chiefly for the benefit
of their afflicted members. The mem
bers of the Central Federated Union
of that city, numbering about 5000
each pay five cents a month for the
maintenance Of this pavilion. But
more than the pavilion was the inter
est they aroused in the ranks of la
Dor throughout New York state and
the country in general.
The results of the movement have
been the establishment of a labor de-
partment by the State Charities Aid
association and special lecturer to
the unions, and an effort to enlist the
aid of laboring men throughout the
state in the campaign against tuber-
culosis. The American Federation
of Labor at its recent Denver Con
vention, adopted resolutions of approx
al of the general course followed at
Albany, and called upon its affiliated
unions throughout the country to fol
low this example. Several of the
state declarations Of labor have also
urged action against tuberculosis The
International tuberculosis Exhibit,
held in New York City recently, stir
red the workingmen of that city and
Brooklyn to a realization Of danger
and responsibility and they, too re-
Gently took definite action in the war
fare against this disease From here
the movement has spread all over the
United States, until almost every la
Dor union of any importance in almost
every trade is beginning to discuss tu-
berculosis at its meetings Hartford,
Conn, Galveston, Tex, Newark, ~ J,
st. Louis Mo San Francisco Cal,
Trenton. n. j.. Reading, Pa, Bridge
port Conn, Boston. Mass, and Phila
delphia, Pa, are few of the cities
that are leading in this effort.
In Connecticut, largely through the |
efforts of John +, Gunshannon, a |
movement has been organized in Hart
ford, Bridgeport New Haven and sew |
eral other cities, through which the |
various employers and employees of |
the factories are paying for the treat |
ment OF their fellow consumptiyes. |
Mr.. Gunshannon's plan is to interest |
each factory in an effort to care for |
its own consumptives. Subscriptions |
are taken among the workingmen. and |
in almost every case, the employer |
contributes a sum equal to the total |
contributed by his men. These var |
units 60 prpanfya1 In |
TO central body that the stronger |
ones are able TO help the weaker. The |
money raised goes for the support of
needy consumpuye wOrkmen in tuber |
culosis sanatoria.
In this way hundreds of factories in
almost all OF the large cities Of Con
necticut have been organized, and a
large number OF sick workingmen and
their families are being cared for.
That tuberculosis is particularly IA
tai to the workngmen may be clearly
seen from the fact that at least one
third of the deaths during the chief
working period OF life are caused by
pulmonary tuberculosis Every other
workman who becomes incapacitated
must ascribe his condition to consump
ton. DIR. Lawrence F. Flick says.
tuberculosis is peculiarly a disease
of the wage-workers and this is so
for the very good reason that one of
the causes of the disease is over
work. In some trades, such as the
metal polishers. brass workers and
stone workers, from 80 to so per cent
of all deaths are caused by tubercu-
losis. Dusty trades are particularly
dangerous.