Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-01-22
tuberculosis Campaign of Great
Progress.

Progress,
With the opening of the new year, tn
campaign against tuberculosis in the Unite,
: States exhibits the most remarkable pro
gress that any movement for social better
ment has ever shown in this country. Dur
ing the past year, the amount of activit,
and the number of people who have beer
reached by this activity has been far il
excess of similar work that has been car.
ried on during the four years previous
Measured by dollars, the campaign against
tuberculosis in the United States during the
year 1908, has cost well over a million
Measured in the number of workers, the
campaign has enlisted hundreds of thou
sands in its ranks. Measured by the num-
Der of institutions and organizations that
have been established during the year
1908, more work of this sort has been ac-
complished than during the entire period
before January of the year just closing.
For instance, before January l. 1905, there
were only 10 dispensaries in the United
States providing special treatment for tu-
berculous cases. Up to the year 1908, this
number had increased to slightly over 100.
During the year 1908 alone, over 100 dis
pensaries providing special treatment fer
tuberculous patients have been opened
The number of tuberculosis sanatoria and
hospitals opened in the year 1908 is more
than 80, figure which is four times that
of the amount of progress shown in this
line in any other year before 1908. The
number of associations having for their
object the study or prevention of consump-
ton, established during the year 1908.
totals up to 100, which figure again is
more than the entire number which had
previously been established in the United
States.
But not only in the number of institutions
but also in the variety of people interested
and in the increase in workers, can the
progress of the anti-tuberculoss campaign
be measured Never before in the history
of the United States have so many move
ments co-operated and allied to fight the
common foe, the white plague. Never in
any single year have so many different Or
CARNATIONS and SO many ranks of people
been stirred to activity in movement
for the betterment of the condition of man.
as during the year 1908. For instance,
during the past year from one end of the
country to the other, the labor unions and
working men have been started to reali-
cation of the fact that consumption is a
disease which affects them, and they have
been arming from east to west for the
fight against the common foe. Hand in
hand, the movement of the labor unions
has been the stimulus given to the clergy
country. Never before have so many SER
mons on tuberculosis been preached from
the pulpts of the various churches of the
country. The schools, too, have been
aroused both through special institutions
for the treatment of tuberculous children
and by means of special instruction to the
children in the regular grades in the schools.
Hundreds of children have been instructed
on the dangers of tuberculosis. State leg
islatures, government officials business con-
Germs, factory owners, social workers, men
and women of all sorts of classes have
during this past year been aroused to re-
newed interest in the campaign against
consumption.
OF the influences which have contributed
to produce this result. probably the most
weighty, has been the International Con-
gress on tuberculosis which was held in
Washington during the latter part of Sep
TENDER and the first of October, attracting
as it did the attention of men and women
in every State in the Union. Representa-
tives we're present from almost every sec
ton of the country and the benefit derived
from this inspiring gathering has doubtless
given the greatest impetus to activity in
the fight against consumption that this
country has ever experienced The NatioB~
al Association for the Study and Proven
ton of tuberculosis by means Of constant
propaganda and its two travelling exhibits,
has also helped to contribute 90 the cam
pagn. Particularly is this 50 in regard 70
the work being carried on in the South.
The Red Cross Stamp Campaign, vi e.
25,O00000 stamps, has been One ~ NE
Greatest mediums of education on tut q.
iosis as well as means Of raising money K
that has ever been used in this country.
The MANAGERS Of the campaign against
tuberculosis are realizing that they have a
hard fight ahead of them, and every means
that will bring home 10 the igHQant the |
Gospel of health Is being empI sd It is |
safe to predict that with the ; u rate /
of increase in activity againstA =. fculosis |
maintained the white plague vii rank
ed in class with some " the least dan
aerous of the infectious diseases With
less than fifty years.