The Detroit times., 1912-09-24
WHITE PLAGUE kills
$4,000 CHILDREN ANNUALLY
DR.. Knopf Figures Financial
Loss is $75.oo0,O00 Every
Twelve Months

WASHINGTON. Sept. 23.--About
S75.0OO.0oo Is the annual financial
loss from children who die each year
from tuberculosis. according to .
statement made today before the In
ternational Congress OF Hygiene and
Demography, by DR.. 8. A. Knopf, OF
New York.
Fifty thousand children die an
nually from tuberculosis" said Dr.
Knopf. Their average age is seven
and one-half years. and, fguring the
cost to their parents and the com
munity at only $3.50 per anuum. the
financial loss represented is T5.-
100000. They have died, too. before
they we're able to give any return to
their parents or the community. All
this useless sacrifice Of money and
life is because we do not take care
of the child at the right time. Three
per cent of all children OF school age
are tubercular. There are 2O,OOOOOo
children attending school. and there
fore. must be at least 100000 children
In need of open-air instruction.
Drs. John F. Anderson and Joseph
Goldberg. OF the public health service.
announced two discoveries regarding
measles, by experiments with mon
keys.
Measles is communicated" they
said, mot by the scaling on OF dried
particles of skin, but by sneezing OF
the patient during the early stages
Of the disease. Nose and mouth Sc
cretions convey the germs. A fine
spray Is thrown out In coughing or
sneezing and any child who has not
had measles who breathes this spray
will become Infected. The virus or
germ OF measles has never been
found, and is so small II can pass
through the pores OF a porcelain NJ
ter"
DR.. George Reid, OF Stafford. Eng
land, told the congress that the new
national insurance act In Great
Britain would be the most potent for
extension Of public health.
"All insured persons, said DR..
Reid. "and their dependents. shall be
provided with medical treatment. The
law also provides for preventive
treatment Of tuberculosis.
DR.. Ira 8. Wild, Of New York, en-
phasized the Importance OF begin.
ming the hygienic instruction OF
school children In the elementary
grades and carrying 1t forward to
graduation.
Banzais. vivas, hochs and good old
American hurrahs. In a babel OF
tongues, greeted President Taft from
5000 delegates OF the hygiene con-
gress. representing 33 nations and
every state in the union.
Creation of q new, separate, execu-
tive department or federal bureau to
have charge Of hygienic investiga-
tions, was urged by the president In
his address.
I'VE need to develop under govern
mental auspices or department In
which the funds OF the government
shall be expended for research OF
every kind useful in the practice and
enforcement OF hygiene and preven-
tive medicine" said the president.
"Our responsibilities In Cuba,o o
Port Rico, the Philippines and Pana-
ma, have enlarged our knowledge or
the possibilities OF susccessful sani-
tation.
There is no dificulty in running
government cheaply II you limit
the functions to the matter of preser-
vation OF peace and the administra-
ton OF Justice. :
II consider II proud record or
the American army that II has given
so many important discoveries to the
world as to the stopping OF the trans
mission OF disease. II Is certain that
but for these discoveries, the con.
struction OF the Panama canal which
will be completed within a year,
would have been impossible"