Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-16
GENERAL GORGAs
IS IN FAVOR Of
COUNTY HOSPITALS
Declares That tuberculosis
Could BE Stamped Out As
Easily AS Leprosy in
the 18th Century

Rochester, n. Y, Sept 9.-"1n spite OF
all the work that has been done for the
prevention of tuberculosis. that problem
remains the largest and most important
public health problem to-day" said Cen
eral William C. Gorgns In response to the
question:
what do you think should be the most
nccentnated phase of health work In the
next FIVE years."
General Gorgas Is In this city attending
the sessions Of the American Public
Health association. His work IN
the Panama canal zone and In
Havana had made him one OF the
foremost sanitarians IN the world and he
is looked upon by the health workers
gathered here as a leader and his opinions
are respected as arc those OF few others.
Tuberculosis Is like our yellow fever
campaigns in Havana and the Isthmus
Of Panama" continued the man who
made tho building of the Panama canal
possible by DISCRIMINATING female stego-
myia mosquitoes. "In Havana and Pan
anna we employed many measures. any
one OF which probably. II It had been COM
pletely carried out would have succeeded
in controlling yellow fever. We knew
that no one of them. however. could be
carried out with complete efficiency we.
therefore, employed all measures that
promised success as extensively as we
could
MANY measures are being employed
with varying success in the tuberculosis
campaign. Until we are sure that some
one Of these can be made absolutely and
completely effective, we should abandon
none Of them.
HOSPITALS A SURE REMEDY.
Hospital care for the sufferer from tn.
herculosis. If every patient could be placed
in hospital. would undoubtedly stamp
out the disease In few years There was
probably as large a percentage of the
population of England afflicted by leprosy
In the 18th century az are afflicted to-day
by tuberculosis. County hospitals for lep-
rosy stamped out that disease in England
Your plan Of county hospitals in New
York State will do the same for tubercu-
losls in this commonwealth, if-and when
they are established in sufficient num-
bers. and are sufficiently effective to Sc.
gregate all cases in the infective stage.
knowing as we do that, II we could
care for the sputum Of all cases OF tuber-
culosis. we could control the disease In n
very few years. does not the terrible
economic waste of this disease seem all
the more needless and inexcusable?
with the tuberculosis campaign in It's
present stage of Development: with the
cause OF the disease thoroughly under
stood by the medical profession, and by
an increasing portion of the laity; with
the means OF preventing 1t and curing
the improbable cases. there Is no posi-
bic avenue for u.s. as a public, to escape
our responsibility in providing adequate
facilities for dealing with the problem.
mo official can excuse his inactivity
In this matter by advocating one par
ucular measure to the exclusion Of all
others. Visiting nurses are necessary;
local hospitals are necessary; improved
housing conditions are necessary; edu-
cation Of the public is necessary, but
no one Of them is necessary to the ex-
clusion of the others II any one could
be employed with absolutely perfect eff
: flcency. it would probably succeed in
controlling the disease. but when VIC
know that this Is impossible, we must
, employ all the weapons In our posses
| sion Therefore. We must have more
, hospitals and more nurses. more public
health education, and still greater i'm.
provement In housing
RELATION OF WAGES TO HEALTH
1--WE will never succeed. however, {
the fullest possible extent in any public
, health work until we have improved the
fundamental economic condition of the
I people. The increase Of wages in tn,
q Panama canal zone had more to do with
the general health conditions on tn,
isthmus than any sanitary measure EN-
Q ployed there. The measures employed
D for the control Of yellow fever anC
: malaria and certain other diseases Were
@ responsible for the improved conditions
q with relation to those particular dis
o eases. but the reason why the zone com
= pares favorably with many portions o
n the United States to hcathfuncss, Il
i that the living conditions OF the work
/. ers have been improved by increase
X wages.
"Of course It would be folly for as Z
:. sit back and fail to do the things W
g know will succeed in the prevention o
X disease. and wait for economic processe
to work out Improvement in the condl
d tions of the workers. and thereby i'm
II prove our public health. It is equal
wrong. however. to neglect the fact tina
permanent Improvement as to health
can only be effected through improve
living conditions, to be brought nbou
Il through increased wages,
:, "1hc greatest single factor In on
n present low standard of wages as con,
l. pared with the cost of living. is the fac
J. that so much of our land, which Is tn
Z only true basis for taxation. is permi,
tod to lie idle, or is only partially pre-
u ductive. because the man improves HI
/ land is penalizcd by taxation, while III
d man who permits his to lie unimprove
- benefits through the penalties levied O
?. his more progressive neighbor."