Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-31
WHITE PLAGUE IS
PREVALENT IN
ALL GEORGIA

ulliOIlH III NItOIEld AbtAtlliln NtHeAA
ment, general knowledge and public
regard of tuberculosis is contained in
the report, published Tuesday, Of the
State investigator for the w. G, Raoul
Foundation, Miss Jessamine Whitney.
Recording the invariable prevalence
Of the disease throughout the State.
Miss Whitney declares;
The tuberculosis patient is not
getting a square deal anywhere. He
is denied admission to a general hos
pital and there is no other place pro-
vided for him The physicians, too,
for the most part do not care to
treat tuberculosis and do not wish
such patients to come TO their Of
fees The number of poor wretches
thus suffering from this most dread
full of all scourges, who are in de-
spair, hopeless, bereft of hospitals
and medical attention in Georgia, at
the present time reaches into the
many thousands.
ON the general basis Of cslcula
ton there would be $3.50 cases Ut
present This is a conservative esti-
mate; presume there are many
more than that. Each Of this num-
Der is a center OF infection, a daily
menace to his fellow men"
Conditions Bad Here,
Miss Whitney's observations we're
gar-e ed from her visits to typical
o..-ts5ns of the State. Atlanta vas
surveyed in the course OF the tour.
and many grewsome pictures Of in
sanitary living quarters of Atlantas
poorer classes are presented as evil
dence that I'm the capital city the dis
ease is winked at, as everywhere,
Il have visited and collected data
from four cities having a population
OF over $4,000; from five cities be-
tween 10000 and $4,000 from five %
population between $500 and 10,gtc.
and from three smaller towns. At
the time of the 1910 census the pop
ulation OF Georgia was over four
hfths rural. To get figures concern
ing this very large rural population
three counties we're selected, varying
greatly in topography, occupations
and proportions between the two
races. one In the pine belt, one in
the midst Of the farming country and
one in the mountains I may say
that tuberculosis is as generally scat
tered over the territory covered as "
spread with an Impartial hand In
the sandy lowlands. in the Blue Ridge
EOuHtlNs ubl ILL., HbHAlls cast NN7hs ~ &c
exacting It's yearly toll relentlessly.
have vet to visit a locality where
there have been no cases
The death rate from tuberculosis in
the three largest cities visit,Sl are
1874 III and 242 to the 100000 OK
population Everywhere in the State.
Miss Whitney declares, she encoun-
tered condition of the darkest ig-
norance concerning the disease be-
cause there is no adequate registra-
ton Of cases or of deaths. in most
places no registration at all, so that
she was obliged to gather her fig
ures from physicians undertakers.
sections, and even from a house to-
house canvass.
Estimate Even Too Low.
7 have mentioned the reasons for
incomplete figures,' she continues, 10
bring out ths remarkableness Of the
average estimated rate CT 1902 per
100000. and also to furnish basis
for estimating the probable rate Il
We had complete registration If l
should say that ! obtained two thirds
Of the deaths in the territory COW
cred, it would be nearer the true ag-
ures, and our death rate would be
270 per 100000, which would more
nearly represent the true ratio in
Georgia
Miss Whitney estimates that the
annual loss Of life from consumption
in Georgia each year Is $500. Of which
she says
Fifty three hundred adult lives
sacrificed IN Georgia alone means AT
economic loss of over $500, 600" And
then She reflects Ironically on the
huge appropriations made toward the
eradication OF hog cholera and other
diseases among animals where but
petty sums are publicly spent TO
thwart tuberculosis
The reasons for the spread Of the
disease In Georgia. and the needs Of
the State as she sees them, Miss
Whitney relates.
Ignorance is the biggest factor
with which We will have to contend IN
our program Of eradic8ting tuberCu-
losis n Georgia she says Every
person in Georgia should know that IL
lis not a neces ssry evil but durable
preyentable disease, which for lack OF
proper remedial measures Is killing
over $500 in Georgia year in and year
out
Education Is Needed
We need fearless physicians. and
we need people deucated so they IRE
not afraid 10 listen to the truth.
The houeing conditions are partly
responsible The negro dwellings have
APPLY been called tuberculosis facto-
ries
Consideration Of the fact that any
sufferer white or black. is a focus
Of infection is imperative.
The proper inspection Of foodstuffs