New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-25
TUBERCULOSIS CUT DOWN
Insurance Co.'s Sending Con.
Sumptive Clients to Sanatoria.
INFECTION IN cows MILK
Contamination Is Possible
Through Handling by Per.
sons Having the Disease.

Berlin. Oct. 24.-The effect of insurance
In the campaign against consumption was
the subject Of an interesting discussion
during this mornings session of the In
ternational tuberculosis Congress. at
which twenty-five nations are repre-
scented.
Several German speakers, including DR..
Kaufman and Dr. Wilhelm Koch. presi-
dents OF different sections of the German
Imperial Insurance Office, described the
amazing results of the institution of sana-
toria for consumptives among the COM
pulsorily insured working classes, not only
In reducing mortality but in rendering
life easier for sufferers and their families
and in curing and restoring to useful
working life many OF those who had been
attacked.
DR.. Kaufman in his report declared
that 90 per cent Of the patients in sana.
toria in 1912 showed such improvement
that invalldity In their cases was not to
be feared. OF the patients successfully
treated in the institutions in 1907 no fewer
than 81 per cent were at the end of 1912
still capable OF earning their living.
Two Americans who had promised to be
present could not attend. They were Lee
X. Frankel, OF New York, and Frederick
Ludwig Hoffman,. of Newark, ~ j., and
both sent papers describing the Swedish,
Finnish and Dutch systems of insurance
against tuberculosis as perhaps applicable
to the United States. BY these systems
the insurance companies advance to con-
gtInpfiVa nOlicybo1darc a Of bo
face value of their policies. so as to en-
able them TO undergo treatment in sana-
toria.
They pointed out the objection to this
system as being that companies specialize
ing In such policies get bad cases and
risks but that the system is still prac-
tcable. Their reports further described
the welfare campaign conducted among
policyholders by American insurance COM
panes, which preach hygienic sleeping and
living conditions and the provision OF WIS.,
ting nurses as the means OF reducing
mortality from consumption.
In the course Of the discussion statistics
were cited showing that a fifth of the
deaths among the poicyholders Of private
insurance companies were due to tubercu-
losis after the insured persons had paid
an average Of only four years premiums
while large percentage Of insured per-
sons following occupations such as that
OF tailor. weaver, stonemason and post
man die from consumption.
A discussion followed on the subject OF
vocational schools for children who had
been cured Of a tendency to tuberculosis
DR.. Franz, Of Berlin, urged that such
schools should be attached to all sana-
| tora for children.
Among the papers read was one on the
danger of tuberculosis infection from milk,
in which Dr. C. j. Heymanns. OF Client.
said that cows milk might be contain
| mated by human tubercle bacili when
taken from the COW or handled by per-
sons suffering from tuberculosis, and that
such milk. unless sterlized, could evident
| ~ affect human beings.
! Or. Leon Bernard. OF Paris, reported on
new method Of diagnosing tuberculosis
| by direct examination Of the blood and
an injection into the blood which ex-
cluded all possibilities OF error.
Dr. Bella, of Berlin, member Of the
Board of Health OF Prussia, reporting on
the mortality from tuberculosis and
scrofula in infancy In Prussia, declared
that while the general mortality from
| tuberculosis had decreased so per cent