Norwich bulletin., 1913-11-20
|DR. MAHER'S TUBERCULOSIS REPORT
Submits Valuable Statements Governor From Conference in Berlin-Compares German With Connecticut Sana- tora-Some Points Where We Excel.

the expense of the sanatorium is borne. To understand this difference you must remember that every German who does not earn about 4,000 marks a year is compelled by law to join one of the societies that insure against dis ability, and encouraged to join one of the societies that insure against sick ness. It is these societies that erect the German sanatoria and that fill them with patients and pay the bills. The total direct expenditure of the German government in this great tu- berculosis campaign of the whole em- pire is not a quarter of the direct tu- berculOSiS expenses of our little state of Connecticut When I reported at the conference that the state of Con- necticut, with only one million people, paid directly out of it's treasury more than one million marks a year for it's tuberculosis Sanatoria there were many expressions of surprise and admiration.
 Not Reported in Germany.
 In one other important particular Connecticut is more advanced than Germany. Ths physicians of Germany are not required to report their cases of tuberculosis to the boards of health. whereas, of course, the physicians of Connecticut are so required by statute. In fact the only countries in Europe In which the reporting of cases of tu- berculosis is compulsory are Norway, Sweden, Denmark and England.
 Connecticut, of course. has some eX- cellent tuberculosis dispensaries, but they are confined to few cities and they have not sufficient funds to do the immense amount of systematic search ing for new cases of tuberculosis and for contact cases" and of follow up'' work that is done by the tuberculosis dispensaries in Germany, financed by the insurance societies. However, the visiting nurses associations and the various local tuberculosis associations of Connecticut are now showing so much interest in this phase of the tu- berculosis problem that We will before long. be abreast of Germany at this point.
 Seaside Sanatoria.
 Now as to seaside sanatoria. I am sorry to say that Germany, with it's sour little northern coast line, is far ahead of Connecticut, in spite of Con- necticut's possession of so many in viting miles of southerly beach.
 I learned at Berlin that not only was Germany ahead of us in regard to the establishment of seaside sanatoTia for her crippled children, but that practi- cally all civilized countries that have a coast line of any kind are ahead of Connecticut. Even the principal coun- tries of South America have now sea- side sanatoria. The Scandinavian countries had photographs to show of the curing of their children on their cold beaches. Even little Portugal at tracted attention with her story of the work of her three seaside sanatoria, where now the sun and the sea were magically curing cases of bone tuber culosis formerly considered hopeless.
 This has long been a sore point with the state commission. We seem un- able to convince Connecticut that she is wasting her God-given talent when she hands control of her shore over to the fighty summer cottager; and our appropriation at present contains no sums available for the construction of this much needed institution.
 In the course of my visit 10 the German sanatoria observed that sew eral of them, particularly those intend ed exclusively for children, had been erected by some rich man or woman of the neighborhood, who had then sur rendered the deeds to the insurance societies or to the provincial authori- ties
 Place for a Gift.
 I feel like making a personal appeal to some wealthy son or daughter of Connecticut to build a seaside sanato- rum and give it to the state to main tain. We will find the place and help with the plans. It would be a new thing in Connecticut's history: but why not? It would honor the state, and it would be the sweetest service any citi- zen could render at this time.