Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-03
Massachusetts Inspector
Makes Records Public.
Promises Of Employers 10 Pay
for Curative Treatment.
Hundreds Sent Back 10 Benches
Fully Recovered. -"Agreement." :"

Worcester, Mass, April THE un-
dertaking inaugurated in Worcester
county 2S months ago to bring about d
conquest of tuberculosis among wage
earners through an agreement among
merchants and manufacturers to pro-
vide curative treatment, has had such
convincing results, according to DR..
Melvin G.. Overlook, state medical in
spector for the Worcester district that
the movement has now extended
throughout New England. has crossed
the boundary line into New York going
as far west as Ohio, and has given rise
to experiments in JAPAN, Bulgaria,
Great Britain, France and elsewhere.
Records kept by DR.. overlook show
that since November. 1908, when the
first systematic step to overcome con-
sumption among Workingmen and Wo-
men was taken, the wage earning abili-
ties of more than 200 working people,
most of them factory girls, which had
been forced to a low ebb by the disease
have been restored and the tuberculosis
overcome. DR.. OXerlock'S 5 tabulations
also disclose that in addition to these
zoe persons, who are now working
daily at their benches and counters
cured of the disease there are more
than 400 other persons afflicted as
these were at present undergoing |
treatment at the expense of their en- |
ployers with the prospect. til records
indicate of a happy result. Also the
director Of the plan says, nearly a |
million and half of wage earners
have before them the prospect OF GER
tain protection of their employers to
take over the expense of curative |
treatment. Such a combination as this |
indicates, of moneyed interests to pro-
teet the health of labor, is pronounced
by those interested in the project to be /
without precedent.
The agreement is the outward form |
of each division of the movement where |
by the subscribing members bind them
selves voluntarily 10 pay the charges
at sanitaria for a probationary period |
of i weeks or longer for any of their
employees who have fallen victims to
tuberculosis. The first great fact |
brought out by the plan, according to
Dr. Overlook, was that consumption |
was durable, something that had been |
"4NNiS u4SEiNtIA w W lllt liIIIt iltt IIiSl !
subjects of the movement had been
declared cured. Not that all the persons |
who have enjoyed the benefits of the !
plan have been cured, Dr Overlook |
says, but the 200 cases treated success |
fully represent about G5 per cent. OF al |
who have been discharged from tr,at-
mont up To the present time. Tie other
80 per cent Were persons whose cases |
had advanced too far to allow success |
full treatment. although some of these !
patients We're so benefited by the treat
mcnt as to be able to resume thcir |
labors. |
The movement has had big result !
also in bringing to the minds of the
employers the idea of improyin. the
SANITARY conditions in the working
places. Ii is Or, Ovcrlock'S prediction /
that because Of the know edge being
disseminated in the fight against tu-
berculosis the mortality from all in. |
lection and contagion will decrease Dr. |
oNerlocks S idea and the resulting move
ment has received the endorsement of
President Taft and is favored by many
noted tuberculars specialists here ana
abroad From distant Japan and Bull
Safla word has come that tn. move
ment is being tried Inquiries as to
details of the movement has already
been received from Great Britain,
France and elsewhere
Within d few days there has come
to Er. Overlook what he considers the
greatest indication OF scientific approval
Vet accorded his idea. The seventh
International Congress against tubcr.
culosis, to be held in Rome next Septem-
ber has requested DR. Overlook to cx-
hlbit there the letters signed by the
original subscribing 100 merchants am;
manufacturers, together with other
facts IN connection with that move
ment. The exhibit will be printed in
seven languages and will give to the
plan world wide publicity
1t was ON ovember IA. 1908 that DR.
overlook received from David H. Fan
nlhS' president of a Worcester manu-
1acturlng company letter binding
Our company to pay the expenses at
the Rutland Sanitarium for A neriod Of
three months, or longer if necessary
Oh any of our employees who NAV he
so unfortunate as to be afflicted with
tuberculosis. This pironeer letter will
mead those exhibited. Since the time
lt was signed 1900 employers have
bound themselves to a similar aeraa-
ment
Inc Atlantic battleship fleet had ideal
spring weather Saturday for the begin
hing OF its battle practice and maneuvres
on the southern drill pronpac oee >Yz.r,