Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

checked the regular appearance OF the
letter Of complaint every few days.
week which has Just closed and its serial
number was SoS. The letters are all
written carefully in long hand and about
| ten or twelve lines in length. The former
the government service and is now teach
| ing school. but he never let's any Of his
duties interfere with the regularity OF
his letterwriting. The flood of letters has
| already cost the sender several times the
amount of his bill in postage stamps
alone.
A few days ago a dispatch was sent
out of Washington carrying the news that
the government in
Transportation of tends to stop the
interstate transpor-
the Tuberculous. tation of all white
plague victims and that the United States
public health service has disproved the
theory that change of climate is neees-
sary or even desirable for the cure Of the
disease. Many letters of inquiry have
come in from friends and relatives as well
as from the unfortunate victims them
Selves who have been caused much worry
and mental anguish by the reports that
the government was going to stop the
railway travel of tuberculous people and
thus cut off their chances OF regaining
health in a different climate.
The fact of the matter is that the
United States public health service mas
made no plans whatsoever TO STOP tne
travel OF tuberculous patients. The only
action which has been taken has been
to start an investigation which will bring
out information on how 1t will be poSsibie
for patients to protect themselves petter
and at the same time to protect leiIu~
travellers by adopting the very best meth
DDS of sanitation. The government mas
not put out any statement saying that
change of climate is not heaithiul 10 per
sons suffering with tuberculosis. FupHc
health officers have said, however, that
it Is possible in many cases, II not IN
most instances for persons to better their
condition by right living at home;
This first comprehensive study by the
government on the effect OF travel on
tuberculous patients has just been start
ed, and Surgeon General Rupert Blue mas
detailed Surgeon Paul M. Carrington 70
| California, where studies VIII be mace OF
| the effect of the Pacific coast marine ell
mate on tuberculous people. At the same
| time he has sent Passed Assistant SUI.
| geon T. A. Sweet to the arid piateaus OF
| the southwest for similar study ana the
/ progress of tuberculOus people IN North
| Carolina will be observed by Passed As
sistant Surgeon A. B. Foster
| These men will study for the govern
| ment the effect Of travel on tuberculous
persons in general, seeking Information
on the number who get well. the per-
/ centage who are able to return TO iighter
duties and the percentage who die Three
government physicians Will also STUDY
| the effect of travel of white plague VIC
| Tins on the health Of railroad employees
and the effect of travel of tubercuious
people ON the health of other passengers.
|, A study will also be made OF the erect
| of the location OF large numbers OF tuper-
i xlHA of
munity to which these people migrate In
large numbers.
The authorities in various sections OF
the country have made complaints to the
Of the large numbers of tuberculous peo-
pie who leave their homes after the dis
ease is far too advanced to be cured, ana
who go to a new community, spend All
of their money and when oroKe pc
come abnormal charges on the taxpayers
and philanthropic institutions.
Surgeon General Blue does not plan
any law which will prohibit the travel OF
tuberculous people, for he realizes what
q hardship this would cause to the thou
sands each year who are seeking to re-
gain health by change of climate. The
| surgeon general has, however. under con-
temptation plan which will work no
hardship on sick persons. but which Will
cover regulations to provide for thorough
sanitation and prevention of the SCENT
nation of tubercle bacilli. This will, be
done by the proper control and handling
Of the bedding OF the siek perspHs and
ton and thorough sterilization of dining
! utensils.
The public health service believes that
the tuberculosis problem of the United
States will be settled ultimately when
the results of various scientific studies
| of the building up and breaking down
processes of the body are thoroughly
known to all the people. The govern
! t,,fa in, frrho &c tn on
courage the adoption Of preventive meas
! ures by communities and TRANSPORTATION
companies, and the following out of the
| ideas of scientific sanitation by the tuber-
! culous patients themselves.
| x :;
| A statement of last years commercial
| production of coal. in Alaska which has
| + just been issued by the United
| Alaskan States geological survey has
-, greatly impressed number
| OVo4' of members of Congress who.
up to the present time. have been more
or less Indifferent about the enactment
of legislation providing for the develop
ment and conservation of the vast coal
resources of Uncle Sans northwest ter
| ritory.
According to the report of the geologi-
\ Cal survey, tUC dIlOutiI VI COc4 PiOouSCAA
commercially in Alaska last year
! amounted to only 355 tons in addition to
| the 500 tons which were mined under the
| direction of the bureau of mines for
| testing by the United States Navy. The
/ mining of this infinitesimal amount OF
| coal in country which has eight great
known coal fields and which are esti-
| mated to contain more than lo.OOo,o0OOOO
| tons of accessible or minable coal has
!! startled a number of men who have been
more less Indifferent on questions OF
| the development of Alaska.
| 1t is interesting in considering the fact
that only $50 tons of Alaska coal were
mined last year to learn that the peo-
| pie of the territory were compelled to i'm
port more than 100000 tons and pay ex-
| cessive rates OH fuel because Of the heavy
| cost of transportation from British Co
iumbia and the United States. Many OF
| the transportation and mining industries
! of Alaska find II cheaper to use Cali
! fornia oil for fuel than the coal imported
| from outside the territory.
| The delay in Alaska development UP to
the present time has been caused by diff
ference of opinion over details of the adj
ministration of the coal mining fields,
and the best method of developing the
natural resources and at the same time
protecting the public's interests. Secre-
! ment; Clifford Pinchot, president Of the
| National Conservation Association; Dele
gate Wickersham, Senators Chamberlain
| Of Oregon and Poindexter of Washington
| and others urge early development of the
4 of ha tarr nd IL,