The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-06-06
GERMANYllS SAVING
ITS WAGE FARMERS
By Fighting the White Plague
ir>the Most Scientific
Manner.


was the subject OF paper read by
Frederick L HOFFMAN, an insurance
statlstician Of Newark. \. j.. before
the Sociological Section OF the Ma
tional Association for the Study and
Prevention Of tuberculosis. whose
meeting opened here today. Mr..
Hoffman said, in part:
The treatment and care OF tuber-
tcuolsis wage-earners in the German
Empire has been question OF seri-I
Gus government concern for many
years. Since practically the entire
wage-earning population is subject to
the compulsory invalidity insurance
laws, the prevention OF ingalIdity Or.
disability resulting from disease is
obviously OF the utmost economic
importance. Under the 'aw OF 1898
the invalidity insurance Institutions
are authorized to undertake the
Treatment and care OF invalid mem
hbers, provided that there is reason
able assurance that the patients
wage-earnihS capacity will be re-
stored and preserved for reasonable
period OF time. Realizing the mad
equacy Of existing institutions or
methods and means for the treat
meat of invalid members, particu-
larly those suffering from tuberculo-
sis of the lungs. the insurance insti-
buttons established public sanatoria
at their own expense. or furnished
funds at reasonable rates of interest
for the establishment OF such institn-
lions by m ..clpallties or larger ad-
mlnistrauye communities on ac-|
count Of the fact that tuberculosis OF
the lungs Is one OF the chief causes
Of physical impairment, with result
ing loss of earning power. the ac-
tivity of these Insurance institutions
In the field OF preventative effort and
cure have been largely centralized
upon this most imnprtant disease.
The treatment and care is without
expense to the patient. who is, how
ever. required to have made not less
than 200 weekly contributions to the
invalidity insurance fund. In addi-
ton to the patients care. financial
support is provided for the patients
| family, SO as to relieve him from
personal anxiety and bring about the
best possible conditions for cure.
There are now SO public and "a
private sanatoria for. tuberculosis in
the German Empire, with a bed ca
pacity OF 1876, and capable of car
Ing for $1,000 tuberculosis patients =
year. Thlrty-eight OF the SO sana-
tpria ore Owned and maintained by
ipyalidity iLJurance institutions. Be
Sides this equipment there are also
az sanatoria for children, = school
sanatoria, SO forest day and night
camps. Sc hospitals and other insti-
tutions, and over 1000 dispensaries.
| During the year 1910 the invalidity
Insurance sanatoria treated 46,T17
patients at cost OF VI. l7,4T2, 600
.(s4,15S, 3se). OF these 1908 were
men and 1920 were women. OF the
men, Ss.S per cent, were restored to
wal earning capacity, ard of the
women, DOS per cent. The number
OF wage-earners treated at the ex-
pense Of the invalidity insurance So
cletles has Increased from 27,s34 in
1905 to 46,717 in 1910. or 74.1 per
cent, and the total expenditures on
account Of these patients from NJ.
| 9,6S5, 600 to NJ. 17,472,ooO or SO.4
per cent.
| e.; -. ohtoo. - ,ha treatment q
TO prevent permanent lnvaiidity and
lncapacity for work, the value OF the
work is measured by the proportion
Of sanatorium patients who are able
to earn their living for reasonable
period Of time. Out OF l5I5l6. male
patients discharged in 1905, records
show that 76 per cent retained their
earning capacity to the end of the
nrst year, So per cent TO the end OF.
the second year. 81 per cent TO the end
Of the third year, 4s per cent to the
end of the fourth year, and a. per
cent to the end of the fifth year.
For female patients the results are,
better, 50 per cent Of them having
full working capacity at the end Of
tn, fourth year, and 50 per cent at
the end of the NTH year.
The effect OF this systematic careI
OF tuberculosis wage-earhers is shown
in the steady decline in the death rate
from Tuberculosis in the German EN-
pirs as wholei Taking a group
OF large German cities. we note that
the death rate from tuberculosis peri
10, 600 population has declined from
a4.6 in 1884 to l7.s in 1909, and that
is CA lower than the death rate OF
similar group of American cities
whose rate In 1910 was 1875.
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