The Washington herald., 1912-05-31

A
annual conference Of the National Asso-
citation for the Study and Prevention Of
Tuberculosis at the New Willard, at
which many OF the best known spe-
ciaIists on tuberculosis I'M this country
were present, the white plague and
measures 10 combat its ravages were
discussed from every point OF view.
Dr. Mazyck P. Ravenel is the president
Of the association. with Theodore ROose-
welt and Sir William Osler as honorary
vice presidents. The local committee Of
arrangements consists OF Dr., George NJ
Kober, chairman; Samuel GOmpers, DR..
Jesse Ramsburg, Ernest P. Bicknelp Dr.
William C. Gwynn. and Gen George NJ.
Sternburg.
DR.. Charles o. Probst. Of Columbus,
Ohio, chairman Of the advisory council,
made an address at last nights meeting
Of the council. his theme being Should
the Prevention OF tuberculosis Be EX-
clusively Under Oficial Control" which
was followed by discussion Of the sub
ject. The Health Oficial the Physician,
and the Layman in the Anti-Tuberculosis
Campaign" DR.. John H. Lands, Of Gin
cinnati. spoke on The Health Oficer,
and Col J. L. Ludlow, OF Winston
Salem. n. c., on The Layman." The
discussion following the address was
opened by DR.. Vincent Y. Bowditch, of
Boston, and Representative Edwin F.
Sweet, OF Grand Rapids, Mich.
Disease Shows Decrease.
The reading OF papers began yesterday
afternoon The first address was that
OF Frederick Hoffman. chief statistician
Of the Prudential Insurance Company,
who offered his felicitations TO the as
sembled foes of the white plague over
the marked decrease Of the disease dur
ing the last year, and discussed The
Treatment and Care Of Tuberculosis
Wage-earners in Germany"
Mr.. Hoffman was followed by Herman
N. BigVs. chief medical officer Of the
New York Department of Health, who
spoke on the tuberculosis death rate
in large cities, demonstrating by means
OF a comparative table the decrease of
the plague, and Irving Fisher, professor
of economics at Yale University, who
read. a paper on the economic cost Of
tuberculosis.
Mr.. Hoffman, addressing the sociologi-
cal section Of the association, stated that
the treatment Of tuberculosis among
German wage-earners has long been a
question seriously considered by the
German Government.
In his paper on ''The Death Rate
From tuberculosis in large Cities" Dr.
Bigsg said in part: There can be no
from tuberculosis in numerous countries
and cities has been proportionate to the
activity and energy with which the cam
pAign for prevention has been carried
en-. 1t will be noted that the only one
Of these large cities in which there has
been an increase in the death rate from
pulmonary tuberculosis is Chicago. The
most remarkable decrease, not only in
the general death rate but in the death
"a Esrhn ~.
taken place in London. It may be noted
that the death rate in Paris Is more
than three times that Of London and
twice that Of New York and Berlin.
New York Hard Problem.
Gas has often been pointed out, the
difficulties in the way Of prevention are
far greater in New York than in any
other large city, but the results which
have been attained in recent years every
where, where active campaigns have
been carried on, are certainly most en-
couraging."
The paper on Revised Estimates Of the
Economic Cost OF tuberculosis" by.
Prof. Fisher, reviewed for the sociologi-
cal section the statistics Of tuberculosis
since 1908, when Prof. Fisher gave a re-
port on this subject before the Inter-
national Congress on tuberculosis. At
that time he showed that tuberculosis
costs the country over a billion dollars a
year, OF which at least $40, ,0O0, 0O0 and
probably much more were costs borne
by others than the victims of the dis
ease. These costs include the costs Of
sickness and loss Of earnings suffered BY
the families whose wage-earners are first
crippled and then killed by the disease.
At the same congress Prof. Wilcox esti-
mated that the losses to society from
tuberculosis were $4,000 900, and Prof
Glover. Of the University Of Michigan.
showed that the losses from the deaths
Of men workers alone were a., 900 for
every one hundred dollars OF yearly
earnings.
In the paper on employment OF Pa
tents After Leaving tuberculosis Sana-
toria," DR.. W. ]. Vogeler, medical d.
rector Of the sprain Ridge sanatorium.