Denver labor bulletin., 1915-07-10
GREAT WAGE COST
OF TUBERCULOSIS
State and Family Suffer From
Neglect in Treating Plague
$4,000 Working Men Die Of This Disease
Each Year and Financial Loss $780,
000.000, Says Investifatofs

Asrditor's note-Tbis article has been
prepared for The Denver Labor Bulletin
by the National Association for the
Study aud Prevention OF Tuberculosis)
Workingmen are always aroused when
an employer or group OF employers
suggest reduction in wages. How
many OF the men who read this article
ever stop to think OF the enormous sums
oi money they are losing in wages every
year due to one preyentable disease,
tuberculosis.
\ careful study OF 500 Boston men
who had consumption and most of whom
died with il. has revealed the fact that
these 500 men alone lost over s425. 900
in wages a resylt of this disease. The
Investigators in this study We're not
guessing; they actually looked up the
sNages that the various men had been
getting when they were taken sick: the
length OF time they were sick, and thus
the amount of money they lost could
easily BE- figured up. Each of these men
lost on an average in hard cash nearly
81 ,0rn in wages alone. to say nothing of
the enormous loss TO his family and the
community and the uncomputed suffer
ing that this disease caused. IL was
found that out OF the 500 men. sa5 had
to give up their work because of tuber-
eulo-i-, and that the average number OF
weeks OF complete disability when they
could do nothing. ranged from IS to 50.
depending on whether the men were liy-
ing o. dead Mt the time of investigation.
The average rate OF wages about
Sll-50 aud the total lo-s amounted TO
Si3GN89
Loss in One Year sSo.ooo,ooo.
A mo-t conservative estimate would
plar, ihc number OF deaths Of working
men from Tuberculosis last year at So
Opt n. on an average, every one of
them lot 81 400 iu wagr- the total
wage los would amount to s50o0oOOo
iu one year The actual loss j. prob
ably considerably larger than that sum.
number Of writer's placing Il ~ high
a. sls0.NO0.OOo. II Will be plain, how
ever. to every workingmau from these
iigur-s that an attack oi Tuberculosis
means a serious loss IN money, happiness
and health. How can this disease be
War,led off, Just few suggestion.
may ave you money. Read them care
fully.
l. Live in IN. fresh air a. much a.
YOU can. You may have to work inside.
bn; by keeping window open and by
getting few deep brcaihs OF outdoor
air at frequent intervals. you can help
to insure your health II you are AT
home. keep the windows open. and al
wav. .lecp with plenty of fresh air cir
etiaiing through tn. room. Outdoor
play and exercise are 20 be preferred
Rest Is Necessary to Health
Eat all the good. plain food You
can digest comfortably. Eat variety
81. L.
but some OF various kinds. such as fruit,
mes,s, fish, vegetables. milk. eggs. cts.
Your stomach. bowels. liver and other
digcstive organs require three things
primarily. nourishing foods, liquids, par
iicnlarly water. and bulk. Many things
vou eat. such a. some vegetables. do not
notrish the body but they are needed Tor
bulk In your intestine. to prevent con.
stipaiion. What YOU eat will determine
TO large cstcn, your ability TO resist
attacks OF tuberculosis and other dis
eases.
T. Rest Is n necessary TO health as
l. food or air. Some people require
more rest than othcrs. but every work
ing man or woman should try to get at
least hours re.t every night or day IN
bed Besides this. everyone should find
opportunity to rc.t and relax while at
Muik OF NflNfFfi H'fi'AN f' "''Ns @''
may relax without stopping work. simply
bv changing or shifting ONES position or
talk II YOU work hard with your hands
during the day. a certain amount of men
tai work at night may be recreation.
IL il mono,ony OF work. doing the same
thing over and over. day in and day out
IN the same way that kills. Anyone can
break the monotouv II he tries.
Live Clean, Regular Life.
g. This leads Us to suggest recrea
tion or play or exercise rs part OF your
daily life. Don't play 80 that you be-
come all tired out. for then the play IL
dangerous Everyone needs some play.
but not too much. You can't work all
day and dance aud carousc all night
and keep your health. Sooner or later
the strongest constitution will break and
the resistance to disease will become so
low that the onset of tuberculosis or
other disease cannot be avoided.
s. hundred more rules and suggcs-
tions might he given. but enough has
been said to show that the safeguarding
of your health against tuberculosis de.
pends to a large extent upon you. II
YOU can live a clean, regular life, your
chances of escaping tuberculosis are far
better than those OF the man who burns
the candle of his life at both ends and
who pays no attention TO his greatest
wealth. his own health.