Evening journal., 1909-12-09
CONSERVATIVES
CAUSE VAST LOSS
Lack of Hospital Beds Costs
Country Over a Billion
Dollars

NEW YORK, n. j.. Dec. 9.-Sixteen
states and territories Of the United states
provide no place where the poor consump-
tive can be treated. except in jails and
insane asylums. This statement together
with another. to the effect that not one
in thirty Of the victims Of consumption,
who want to get i'm hospitals can find a
place there, a fact which will mean a loss
to the country Of $i.275. 100000 is made by
the National Association for the Study
and Prevention OF tuberculosis in a bull
lotin issued to-day
The National Association states that
there are ia the United States at least
100000 consumptives who are.so poor that
they cannot pay for proper merical treat
ment in tuberculosis ssnatoria and hos
ptals Some Of them can pay small
amounts a week for their maintenance.
hut the great majority OF them cannot
nay anything. For this large class OF pa
tients the entire country has provided
only 1000 beds for the free treatment OF
tuberculosis. In Alabama, Arkansas Ida
no. Kansas. Mississippi Montana, Ne
vada, North Dakota. Oklahoma, Oregon,
Philippine Islands. South Dakota. Texas,
Utah. West Virginia and Wyoming there
is no place where the consumptive with
out means can be treated but In iails or
insane asylums and In most cases he will
get no treatment there. Sixteen other
states provide less than 80 beds each foI
poor consumptives. In only two states
Massachusetts and New York have beds
for needy tuberculosis patients been pro-
vided so that at least one In ten may
lind a place for treatment In many OF the
other states. not one in 20 Of the destitut,
consumptives can find bed in a hospital
or sanatorium.
II costs on an average about $3.50 to cure
an inclpient consumptive or to care FOL
an advanced case until death. II he Il
left I'm destitute circumstances without
proper attention he will surely infect witt
his disease at least two other persons
and possibly many more. Considering tha
the average life Is worth to society in dol
lars and cents. about sl.5o0, the net losi
which would accrue TO a community b!
not treating its poor consumpuves n
proper institutions would be for each case
including those who are unnecessarily in
fected al the very lowest figure si.25o. o.
the United states who are now sick wer
segregated from their families. and eithe
kept IN institutions until they died. or els
cured Of their disease. tho saving 10 tn
country would be the enormous sum o
S-275OoO.ooo.
Consumption is primarily a poor man
disease. Dr. Woods Hutchinson. Of Ne'
York City says: Roughly speaking. III
incipient tuberculous patient can buy a
many chances of fresh air and cure p
he has money" The percentage OF death
from consumption among the poor Is II
per cent higher than among the well-to
do and the rich. CO per cent. OF the cor
sumptlves In the United States are 10
poor to provide proper means for treal
ment. They must either be placed in
sanatorlum or hospital where they ca
=. be cured Of their disease and where the
viii be removed from the possibility Of 4
fecting other members OF their familie
or the loss resulting from neglect to ca
for these poor consumptives will be twi'
or three times as great as would be u
case If they were properly housed in fl
stithtlons.
The National Association for the STUD
and Prevention Of tuberculosis declare
T. that II every county or township shou
p erect an institution for the treatment
- INDECENT cases of consumption. this di
a ease would be wiped out in a few year