The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-03
OUTLINE NEED FOR WHITE PLAGUE WAR Actual Conditions in Bir- mingham Pointed Out CASES ARE CITED Executive Committee on Anti-Tuber- culosis Association Issues Frank
 Address to the Citizens
 of Birmingham

or DIT m1nSndm The Anti-Tuberculoss association of Jefferson county has issued public state ment containing certain phases of the campaign against the white plague being waged by this organization. The presi- dent. Sydney J. Bowie, and the executive committee. of which M. S. Sloan Is chair man, have given out the facts printed be- low on behalf of the general body and it is purposed to reach the notice of every citizen of this county.
 The official statement from the Anti Tuberculosis association reads as follows ITO the Citizens of Birmingham and Jeff ferson County:
 'In the desire to more fully acquaint the public at large with the terrible men ace that daily threatens the health of this community and exacts heavy toll in lives of men, women and children, the Tuberculosis association considers 1t expedient to make known a few facts. This, in the hope and belief that there will be general recognition of personal and civic responsibility throughout the district where this much needed preven- tive work is being attempted.
 Problems of Medical Staff
 "It is not the purpose of this article to cumber the record with a citation of statistics, but it Is believed desirable to let all citizens know what daily confronts our medical staff and those immediately concerned in the work. Let us take the cases of the supervising nurse of the tu- berculoss dispensary, such as have come in contact with this phase of our work during the months of December and Jan uary. Of these, we selected from a long list 54, where home conditions were such that the individual should be removed to some sanatorium for treatment, or where those suffering from the disease were wanderers; living in first one lodging house and then another, in consequence of which the chances of the disease spreading through this means were in- finitely greater than in an established res idence.
 Tn the first division, which shows homes and children in danger of infec- ton from some member of the family, there are 31 instances where other mem bers of the family are directly exposed to the one who is tuberculous. In the homes of these 31 patients, there are 9l children and 54 adults, constantly ex- posed, and the situation Is such that proper care to prevent the spread of the disease cannot or will not be given at home. So in these 31 homes we have total of 176 individuals who In all proba- bility will be infected by this dread ds- ease before the year is out.
 Some of the Cases
 Let us pause for a moment and con- sider some of these cases according to number.
 Case No. ?, Mrs. B., tuberculous her sister and three children of Mrs B, ex- posed to tuberculosis, all five of them sleeping in one room. An additional source of infection is that this woman keeps a COW; when able she milks it her self; when not, one of the older chill dren. The milk is kept in warm kitch- en, and what can be sold is peddled through the village by one of the children The surroundings where the COW is kept are indescribable.
 Case No. 3, Mrs. J. B., very far ad- vanced, four adults sleeping in one room with this patient.
 Case No. 1. Mir. N B., moderately ad- vanced, works in a meat market.
 Case No. Is, Miss B. M., far advanced Family of five children and three adults come in daily contact with this girl who is bedridden.
 Case No. IS, a little girl, far advanced. She and her three sisters and mother live together Family very destitute. These four children sleeping and playing to- gether. of course, are constantly exposed. Case No. 19, Mir. J. J., in the last stages. Himself, his wife and one son sleeping, living and eating in one room. Appeals are made almost daily by this woman to have something done for her husband. Thus far she has asked in vain. How long will this continue? is her con- stant cry. Can nothing be done for me and my boy?'
 Case No. 21 Mrs. G., three children sleeping in the room with mother. This Is an incipient case, but for lack of funds the mother cannot be taken to the camp. as at present all the free beds at the camp are occupied, and, in fact, four more than the present appropriation permits.
 Case No. 26. Mrs. A. H., family of four children and two adults living in two
 
 not be taken for lack of funds.
 Case No. 30. Mrs. K. w., who lives in the home of her sister, who works out by the day. The woman's husband is away from home also. leaving her alone with five small children under years of age, the baby being only months old. This patient was taken to the camp, but remained there less than a week. She gave as her reason for leaving that it was too cold on the mountain. The condi- tons at this home are simply indescrib- able. the woman spending the majority of her time in bed, letting the little children play on the floor, which is covered with dirt and her approximations. At meal time she drags herself from the bed and tries to prepare some food for these chill dren. Of course, sanitation and hygiene are the last things considered.
 No Home or Income
 "The other list. containing g names, comprises those with no home or income These men and women have been or are moving on an average of every two weeks, injecting each house and family wherever they go. These 23 are divided as follows: and seven far advanced. We have been erabled to take six of these at the camp. By tracing the movements of those who have not been taken it has been shown that 67 different homes were infected and the number of people exposed to this in- lection total 35.
 Let us briefly consider a few of these cases.