New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-28
FIGHT WHITE PLAGUE.
Pastors of City Churches Urge
Congregations to Help.
"IT'S A SOCIAL PROBLEM"
Charity Organization Society
Issues Literature and an
Appeal for Assistance.

tuberculosis Day was observed in many
| churches throughout the city yesterday,
| and II was noted that in every case the
| congregations paid close attention TO the
words of the preachers, who sought to
| bring the Importance OF the subject
strongly before them
In Calvary Episcopal Church, Fourth
avenue and 2st street there was a spe-
cial service and n sermon by the Rev.
| Theodore Sedgwick, the rector, who chose
his text from the second and third verses
OF the fifth chapter Of st. Johns Cos
pei: Now, there is at Jerusalem a pool
which is called Bethesda, having five
porches. In these lay a great multitude
| OF impotent folk, blind halt and withered,
waiting for the moving OF the water"
| The preacher likened this TO present day
conditions. where great multitudes OF
| blind. halt and withered" persons were
everywhere present, waiting for and need
Ing the gifts of God, such as pure water,
fresh air and sunshine. These, he said
were the sufferers from tuberculosis.
The tuberculosis problem is not only
medical problem, but social problem
AS such It is properly connected with the
work OF churches and churchmen. The
places where the great white plague hour
ishes are the tenement houses"
Mr.. sedgwick went on 10 say that every
body could Join in giving pure water ana
fresh air TO those who could not atord
them, and that 10000 churches to-day
were making the same appeal to the peo-
pie OF this country. Two hundred thou-
sand people, he said, died every year from
tuberculosis ten thousand In New YORK
CITY alone, and these deaths were from
preventable disease.
The people could help in the work ne
said. by giving time and money In clean
ing up the tenement districts and by unit
ing with the Charity Organization society
Petitions TO the authorities for more tu-
berculosls hospitals and open air schools
would also he OF great help, he said
As each person passed out Of the church
agents OF the Charity Organization 80
cIety handed out pamphlets containing
tuberculosis statistics. practical sugges-
lions 70 the layman for the prevention OF
the disease and statement OF "hat the
society was doing and hoped to DO
The Rev. Percy Stickney Grant, preach
ing in the Church OF the Ascension on
Filth avenue. made tuberculosis the prlh-
cIpal subject OF his remarks. lie toIa ms
congregation that while he was preach-
ing a person was Dying every three MIN
utes in the United States from tuoercu-
losls. He urged his congregation not only
70 be good Christians by constant attend
snce AT church. but TO help In lighting
the white plague and decreasing the oea."
rate. 10 per cent Of which was IN Ne"
York City.
DIR Grant said that the persons VINO
rented out bad tenement houses ana KEPT
men and women at work under uhheaI'hy
cord,tions were responsible for the death
rate He also deplored the many nun
dreds OF patent medicines and so-callea
c,,res that were foisted upon the poor
ord on which they wasted their money
The United Hebrew Charities issued a
,auan,lot Yesterday setting forth It's ef-
forts 70 stamp out tuberculosis.
The society co-operates with all he!p-
ing agencies. both city and private anu
extends material relief TO the tamIhes Oh
,,o ooicted. In many cases whole iain'-
,,os orc removed TO places where the Gil
mate Is beneficial.
In the Catholic churches, especially AT
tho early masses. q letter from cardinal
Farley was read. lie pointed out tha'
ornal,pox had been fatal disease many
yoars ago. and the same end to con
surpt,on can come that has come TO IT,
1Ie recounted the great part the Catho-
ito church has ever taken both In health
and in the care Of the sick
"There are 1000 people who die yearly
from tuberculosis in one form or another
In New York: there are more than EV'V'V
who die from, the same cause IN t'''
r-n,,ed states. These figures are IN ac-
cor6arce with recorded statistics. no"
n,anv more there are who die from this
disease as a contributing cause cannot
he accurately determined said Dr'
Adolphus Knopf In the Manhattan
church. Broadway and 10th street. Just
night. I'll,
DIR Knopf added severely. and win
cnIv a trace Of smile: mo chila OF
school age. or OF any age, In fact shouiu
kiss another child, or allow herselt VI
himself 10 be kissed
The speaker said In the next ofea''
that among grown persons TINS resui'-
tio,, would work a hardship.