The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-03
TAX ON PAY ROLLS
FOR WHITE PLAGUE
New York Physicians Plan
StirS National Congress.

Advocating a new method Of fighting
the white plague" in the United states,
Dr. Lee X. Frankel. Of New York. last
night created a mild sensation in the
National tuberculosis Congress by an
.nouncing a plan 20 levy a tax on all en-
ployers Of labor for the purpose Of estab-
fishing a fund large enough 10 wipe out
the disease.
That such a scheme is practicable"
said DR.. Frankel. has been demonstrated
by the success Of similar scheme in
Leipzig and Dresden
Or. FrankeI spoke before the advisory
council of the congress. His address was
taken up by the members. Frederick l..
Hoffman. Of Newark, y. j., and others
discussed the subject.
DR.. Frankcl said in part.
Idea Il Explained.
ANY legislation that would require
or make 10 compulsory for workincmen
OF others 10 pay premiums for sickness
insurance would probably be construed
IN this country as unconstitutional on
the ground that IL would deprive a per
son Of his property Illegally There is
way, however by which this constitu-
uonal provision could be offset and by
which compulsolS insurance against tu-
berculosis could be provided in this couu-
try. Instead of compelling the payment
Of premiums on the part OF employees,
IL would be perfectly feasible and CON
stitutiOnal 20 have a special tax based
on the pay roll Of employers Of labor.
this tax 20 be fixed and graded accord
ing 20 the amount Of The pay roll ana
probably also. according 10 the risks
% the industry with reference 10 tuber-
culosis-
THUS, for instance. dusty trades would
he required 10 pay "a larger proportional
tax than trades where the risk Of getting
tuberculosis was not so large This tax
would create a fund from which tuber-
culosis employees could be cared for. This
would practically mean insurance against
tuberculosis. for. while the individual
employer of labor in most Instances
would he unable 10 care for his tuber-
cuioUs employees. by pooling his interests
with those Of thousands Of others an
insurance fund could be created which
would provide amply for sanatorium and
hospital treatment Of all tubercuIous en-
ployes. This tax would. of course have
20 be levied on all employers Of labor.
including the State. the city. and the
Federal government
This fund. moreover, would have 20
be administered locally. Il would be i'm
practicable TO administer il ON State
wide basis Probably the municipality.
'r in some instances the county would
have 20 be the unit"
After the address by Or. Fraukel tho
committee on resolutions submitted re-
port. which was unanimously adopted
The report concluded as follows
Fairgrounds Are Indorsed.
Resolved That this association observes with
Teat interest ard satisfaction the marked ur-crss
throughout the United States. and particularly in /
me I,ls'n't OF Columbia, da1 the Ias- year. Of
ne r.a}Srglnd movement ard expresses the earnest
lore that The National Congress viii make aGe-
iuaie Appropriation for continuing and extending Z
20 me District II Columbia these opportunities fa-
-ea.thiw opeu-air exercise and Tllv.
The report Endorsed the general princi- |
ale Of the bill introduced I'm Congress nv /
senator owen and Representative Crea- I
ger providing for the establishment of I
, Department Of Health. II recommended /
he following resolutions. which were
,dopted by the council.
That an official q diiras and herd. and the
1ik en- route from dairy 90 the consumer is
trst Importance iu obtaining clean and I-lrc
1Uly Of milk. which is essential 90 public h
slth.
That the p0s,curizarirn 0f The general mix
.TpF- with the exception ~ certified milk. is
eslrahle AS protection against disease.
That r1stcurizati0n If milk Tor sale should no,
Permitted exert under r'iria, supervision. ard
lCuld be prevented a method fe- the rreser,a-
lon Of Old Cr dirty milk
That milk intended for infant feeling should be
'nslacred apart from that intended for general
lnsimrtion, and should De certified milk when
5tainable y
That in the opinion q the ASSOCIATION il has
rem apparently proven that small percentage
cases Of nCn-TImouary tuberculosis Is due 20 I
Election By tUbCrCle uCII II bovine origin.
lycially In children under five years old
mat the association dcrirrCs the act Of Tie
tate legislature q Nebraska which was recently
lssed. making II obligatory frr hospitals and ]
netcriS receiving tuberculosis patients supported 7
me public 70 use treatment Of Illumination I
acci1e thcTapyl.
That the association derlares the action Of the
tate Beard q Medical Examiners Of Okahon7 !
refusing % grant licenses 90 physicians afflicted
IN IuhefcAooi- ara srcluirng that all applicants
ear 20 so-calicd tuberculosis affidavit in which !
e applicants must not only declare they are not :
tcring from tuberculosis but also swear they .
we not. within three years lived i'm the house i.
th or nursed any suffering from tuberculosis I
Council Elects Officers. a
The election of the council resulted as =
flows: DIT Charles White. OF Pittsburs 7
directors for FIVE years. VIII ,
m H. Baldwin. Washington: Thomas D. Y
oleman, Augusta, Ga; William X. Blk
2, st. Louis, Mo; Alfred Meyer. New b
ork; Henry B. Favin, Chicago: AIexan- y
T NJ Wilson. Philadelphia: G. Walter a
olden. Denver. Colo; George Dock, New q
rleans, La; Jeffrey R. Bracket. Bos- !.
n; Julius Rosenwald. Chicago; F. f.
'esbrook. Minneapolis, Mimi: Walter
lyman, Washington; to succeed NDr. Il
lerles f. Gahan, whose term expires in Z
2, Dr. John l. Dawson, Charleston. s.
; to succeed Dr. John c. Black. whose n
rm expires in 1911, DR.. Elmer Z. Heg. o
attic, Wash.