The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-27
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Tuberculosis Endangers All

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Dear Sir; Please allow the following statement to appear in the next issue of your paper;
 The pathetic letter of Horace Slater which appeared in your paper of the 22d | awallens my interest in 8 movement have concerned myself in for some years. 1 have been concerned. not because I or any member of my family have been il victim of tuberculosis, but because of my interest in humanity. My interest has it's origin in the many hundreds of cases I have had under my own personal ob- serVation, and a study of the treacherous character of the disease as it goes about OF it's mission Of destruction without re- gard to race. color or conditions. We admit that 1t Is an infectious disease and the protection of one race against it's ravages. without the protection of an other both living in tho same commun- ty and breathing the same atmosphere, is doing but little to eradicate the cause
 We all agree that an effort should be made to destroy the cause. and we know that no destruction of a cause so treach- ercus and destructive as the bacillus tu~
 herculosis can be effected without scien-
 tifa principles and system then, why the
 effort to destroy this germ by launching a partial system?
 A campaign covering every hole and
 corner in the alleys ,ind novels in the lowlands well as the highlands; every race; the poor as well as the rich: tho
 servants as we'll as the one served, Is
 the only method which will prove ef- fectual in the eradication of this death- dealing germ. Even the thoughts of case are sufficient to make one shudder
 when he knows that once within it's dead ly grasp, there is no known means of relief.
 Only last year a half dozen or mora of us spent months in an effort to in-
 terest our public-spirited men and women
 ir 8 campaign toward the establishment
 of a camp. to no avail. Again. T take this opportunity of calling the attention Of my race to the enormous mortality, and that increasing, from this disease. We must get busy and do something to protect posterity and society. It is a crime to live in this age of enlightenment and not take advantage of scientific re- search and its resultant widespread hy- eienic instructions, and more of a crime to give to posterity a tubercular diathesis
 or any other predisposition to diseases God forbid that we go another year with out a camp for the aid of our unfortu- mates and the protection of society. The letter, too, is of peculiar interest to me, in that it demonstrates another pe- culiar characteristic of my people. As rule, we do not concern ourselves about things so important as tub erculosis. and other things or like nature until we become infected or concerned directly A characteristic responsible for much of our condition.
 I am quite sure that little talk through your columns will create the desired in- terest among my people, and the white people. too, for that matter, if for no other reason than self-preservation.
 l am ready and willing to do a mans part in a campaign to establish this camp, and anyone who may become in- terested and desires my assistance can find me in the Alabama Penny Bank building. w. l.. COUNCILL, NJ. D.
 Birmingham, November g. 1915.