The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-03-02
The Fight Against Consumption All
Around the World.

In order to show that splitting on
the sidewalks is dangerous to health,
an investigation has been made by
Or. John Robertson, Medical Health
Officer Of Birmingham. England,
which shows that seven per cent of
the "spits" collected in public places
contained consumption germs. On
the other nand the dust collected
from the floors of the cottages Of the
Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium has
been found TO be free OF tuberculosis
germs, showing that a careful con-
sumptive is not dangerous.
Consul-General George Horton has
made a report from Athens on the
conspicuous work of Greek physici-
ans in combating the cOuntry's two
chief scourges-malarial fever and
tuberculosis. An annual average of
1000 persons die each year from the
former, while in epidemic years, due
to excessive rains, the number ex-
ceeds 5000 which was the case in
1905. The population of Greece is
2,433, sos. The people have been in
! terested through lectures, pamphlets,
etc, TO fight the Misunderstanding mo-
| squito by draining stagnant ponds
and throwing petroleum on them. A
tuberculosis congress will be held in
Athens next year, TO which will be in
yited not only physicians, but all the
mayors and other prominent people
of Greece
Under legislation enacted in 1905
the Danish Government pays three
fourths of the expenses of all poor
persons who desire to be treated in
tuberculosis sanatoria. When the
hospitals under construction are COM
pleted. Denmark will have one bed
in tuberculosis hospitals or sanatoria
for very 1900 inhabitants. a fact
which will mean that the length of
treatment can be considerably ex-
tended. In the United States there
is one bed for every $500 inhabl-
tants.
Efforts are being made in Bulgaria
to abolish the numerous monasteries
and converts of the Greek Catholic
| Church and TO use their buildings
and revenues for the establishment
and maintenance of tuberculosis san,
atoria. King Ferdinand has given
100000 francs for the erection of a
national sanatorium The death rate
from tuberculosis in Bulgaria is very
high, being 81 for very 10000 living
The compulsory state system of
sickness insurance instituted in 1884
in Germany has proved powerful
factor in combating tuberculosis. No
less powerful have been the public
sanatoria, the number of beds in
which have increased during the
past fifteen years from 243 TO S,422
OF the POO tuberculosis sanatoria and
hospitals in Germany, 80 are support
ed by the carriers Of sickness insur
ance The statistics of the Imperial
insurance department show, that as
many as AZ per cent of the number OF
persons treated in these institutions
remained in good working health five
years after being dismissed from the
sanatOrium
London has three open-air schools
for tuberculous children. Similar in
stitutons have been established in
the United States in Providence, Bos
ton, New York, Pittsburg, Chicago
Hartford, Connecticut, Brookline
Mass Rochester. n. Y.
significant phase of the campaign
against tuberculosis in Sweden is
the establishment by various indus
trial concerns, of sanatoria for tuber
culous workmen from their own fac
tories. The Vulcan Match Company
the Liusne-Voxne Timber Company
the Sandwich Hardware Company
the Ericsson Telephone Company
and the Stora Kopparsberg Company
are among those who maintain such
institutions. each accommodating
from fifteen to thirty patients. Al
these sanatoria the workmen are re
ceived free and their families may be
admitted for small charge.
A bill will be brought before the
new British Parlment calling fol
steps to be taken to prevent the
high mortality from tuberculosis in
Ireland. The bill will demand the
compulsory notification and registra
tion of tuberculosis cases. the estab
lishment of special institutions fol
consumptive patients, the instruction
of the public about this disease, ant
improved control over the meat ar,
milk supplies.
The death rate per 10000 from tn
berculosis in Victoria. Australia, hai
fallen from 1853 in 1890 to 9.5S. an
in Melbourne and suburbs from 20 il
1890 to 1l6 in 1907. The fall is al
tributed to the aggressive campaign
against this disease, including tn
registration of tuberculosis cases, tn
erection of institutions for treatmen
and the general Improvement OF san
itary and working conditions.
The Newfoundland Society for tn
Prevention of tuberculosis is carry
ing on a vigorous and necessary can
paign this year in the island. tn
death rate from the disease in New
foundland is very large. About on
in every five of the total population
dies of it, and, what is worse, in tn
last six years the death rate, whic
is stationary or decreasing elsewher
has increased about 80 per cen
This is due largely to the native hol
ror of fresh air in the house.
Iceland has a Society for the Pr,
vention of tuberculosis and is builC
ing a $4,000 sanatorium to accommC