Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-06-24
UNNECESSARY DISEASE AN


Of the cost OF living with the serious
consequences It entails on the Ameri'
ran people, Are not the tariff nor the
trusts nor the Illegal actions OF mono
Spoly. although they have q tremendous
influence on the Increase cost OF prices
Eenernlly In the United States. Inc
chief cause OF the increase IN the cost
Of living is waste. The largest 1en
Is that Of waste from unnecessary ais
ease and death, In which tuberculosis
Is the principal factor"
Such was the declaration OF EdWard
4 r. McSweeney, chairman OF the board
! of trustees of the Boston Consumptives
hospital who today addressed the Ma.
tional association for the study and
prevention Of. tuberculosis In session
nt Denver. The speaker continued:
"The four great wastes OF today,
more lamentable because they are I'M
necessary, are preventable deaths,
preyentable sickness, preventable con-
ditions OF low physical and mental ef-
flciency, and prevertable ignorance,
all Of which are playing their part IN
I cruel devastating destruction almost
to human minds, and which
lNogether operate to bring about an
Y dvance In commodity prices by al
3Iscting the supply of the necessaries
w life, restricting supply by taking
lersons out OF productive ent< rprise,
nus making production more expen-
1--we At the same time, while re-
.Ytricting production by the amount OF
Arsons 1t has taken out Of industry,
kais extends demand by increasing the
/ snsumption Of goods. As rule the
" rtims of tuberculosis are all con-
sl ed to the productive period OF life.
eThe total annual tariff revenue OF
Sxf, Payne-Aldrich bill to, the United
ties government is 20 per cent, less
al in the actual annual loss OF wages
Ia cost Of sickness and deaths from
tuberculosis alone in the United
EEsstates. III
I saaA greater number of persons are
ID, EN- out OF productive industry py
Is,Yerculosis every year In the uniteo
hal ties than there are wage earners IN
iEll, state Of Massachusetts.
lsh The researches of the Sage founda-
Mn and similar bodies have demon
NJ rated that the average family income
III the United States is less than $500.
n y this basis the entire family income
u b62.5OO householders would be re-
,,red to pay the nations yearly tuber-
i psis bill alone.
These figures give some idea OF
4 II cost, Of tuberculosis alone. When
: lcome to the total cost to the nation
hall preventable disease, we find the
lres even more startling.
/ gisTwo years loss from preyentabie
Ok ease in the United States. inc!ud.
YMs tuberculosis, would purchase all
,E wheat. corn, oats. rye,barley,
gep ckwheat, potatoes, hay and tobacco
4 rouuceo last year in the United
4 tates.
f"One years loss from preventable
disease including tuberculosis In the
A jnited States would pay the national
ebt.
at would pay the annual interest
fon the national debt of the world.
z ut would reimburse England and
the Transvaal for the Boer war.
ut would repay the cost to the
United States OF the Spanish Ameri-
can war.
"It is equal to the combined stock
and bond issues of the railroads In the
United States.
ut would provide for the capitaliza'
lion OF all the national banks In the
nation and leave enough money over
10 build the Panama canal.