Willmar tribune., 1909-09-01
low 10 years Of age-two Of them

aDle stage, instead OF waiting, be-
cause of the expense involved, until
he goes over the incurable line. In
a special report of the English Lo-
cal Government Board for 1905-06
are given the results of a careful
investigation of poverty and tuber-
culosis in the United Kingdom with
special reference to their relation
to one another. The conclusions
are startlingly interesting and GER
tainly of the very highest import
ance.
II was shown that the mortality
from consumption had declined
from 3.99 per thousand living in
1888 to 2.77 per thousand in 1855
and lis per thousand in 1906, an
actual decrease in deaths from 59,-
025 to 80, TAG in sixty-eight years.
A second series of figures indicated
that during fifty years the ratio of
paupers per 1000 in England and
Wales had dropped from 48 to Is,
while the death rate from consump-
tion had declined from q to 10 in
the 10000. Comparisons were
given also for Scotland and Ireland.
In Scotland the ratio Of paupers had
fallen from % to 13 and of deaths
by consumption from 40, to q. In
Ireland, where the ratio of paupers
has risen in forty years from II to
%, the death rate from consump-
tion has increased from II to 20.
"1hese figures do not establish a
direct connection between poverty
and the disease, but they are high
ly suggestive, and they permit of
some generalizations that are in
structive to all civilized countries.
AS regards Great Britain, it is evil
dent that the statistics can be ex-
planned by immensely improved So
cial and industrial conditions. The
era that has brought about santa
tion, better housing, a reduction in
the hours of labor and an increase
in the rewards Of labor has saved
life and ditfused comfort and pros
perity at the same time. If the
value Of the change could be esti-
mated in terms of money it would
be found that there was an i'm
mense gain to the people as whole
from expenditures and concessions
that were considered ruinous by
many mistaken opponents of pro-
gress. The nation has been lifted
up except in Ireland, and the ex.
ception is something for English
! statesmen to ponder over" (Ed-
itorial in Chicago rd-Herald,
Feb. %, 1908. The writer of this
article has verified the above fig.
ures by the Report itself.)
Proper living conditions and pro-
per working conditions aid in the
elimination and prevention of pov.
erty. Proper living conditions and
proper working conditions aid in
the elimination and prevention OF
tuberculosis. Both poverty and tu.
berculosis are dependent for de.
velopment pretty largely upon sim.
liar causative factors and each may
be either the cause or the effect OF
the other. We must fight both al
the same time. While at all times
it is absolutely necessary both in
the treatment and prevention o1
poverty and of tuberculosis to lay
great stress upon personal factors,
hygienic, moral, educational and
disciplinary, and this on the double
ground of humanity and genera
welfare, yet authorities the worlc
over agree that both are, to a con
siderable extent, social diseases ant
both call for social remedies.
Everything that can be done tt
make men healthier and happier il
germane to this purpose of prevent
ing tuberculosis. The improve
ment of the housing of the working
classes and of the sanitary condi
tions of theaters and churches, a
well as of factories and shops; th'
multiplication of parks and play
grounds, gymnasiums, and baths
the widening of streets; the en-
forcement of a standard of health
full conditions in all occupations
the reduction Of the working-day
the raising Of wages; the educa
tion of the women and girls of tn
tenements in the art of housekeep
ing and the science of food prepar
alton; the crusade against the noxi
Gus features of the saloon; scien
tific instruction about the effects O
alcohol in the public schools, al
these and kindred efforts tend, les
Indirectly than might be thought
to reduce the death rate from tn
berculosis." From N. Y. Ham
Book on Tuberculosis.)
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