The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-10
GORGAS SEES ROUT
OF WHITE PLAGUE
He Says the County Ilospita,
System Can Stamp Out
the Disease.
CITY CLINICS ASSAILED

ROCHESTER, Soy. a.-SurFeon-Goncr
william C.. Gongas Of the United States
army, who is attending the conversion
Of the American Health Association here,
declared to-day that tuberculosis can Ne
stamped out by means of county hos.
pitfalls.
"Tnberculosis Is like our yellow fever
campaigns in Havana and the Igthmus
of Panama continued DIR. Gorgag On
Havana and Panama We employed
many measures, any n Of which Prob.
ably, IL 1t had been completely carried
ont, would have succeeded In control. ~
yellow fcver. We knew that no one
OF them. however. could he carried ot
with complete efficiency. We therefore
employed all measures that prom sei
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.
Hospital care for the sufferer from
tuberculosis. II every patient could be
placed in a hospital. would undoubtedly
stamp out the disease In "A few years.
There was probably as large a per.
centager OF rthe population of England az.
ftcted with leprosy in the fifteenth cen.
fury as are afflicted to-day with tuhof.
culosie. County hospitals for lrpro.y
stamped out THAI disease in England.
New York Plan Approved.
York State will do the same for tuber.
culosis in this commonwealth if-and
when-they are established IN syfhc,en,
numbers md are sufficiently effective 10
segregate all cases in the infectivo stage.
Knowing as we do that II We could
care for the sputum OF all cases of tuber.
culos!s, we would cOnarol the disease IN
a very few years. does not the terr.Ji
economic waste OF this disease seem al
the more needless and ~inexcusahles
Il am informed hat a number OK
counties in New York State are VOTING
this year on the question OF establishing
tuberculosis hospitals. I, seems to me
that with the Question Of saving lives
SO squarely put up to voters. there can
be no doubt OF the results. ANY luJ,c
official who refuses 10 permit the poo
! pie to decide such a moincmIous question
for themselves is In an utterly iudo.eu.
sble position.
W. will never succeed. however. to
the fullest possible extent in any pubic
health work until we have improved
the fundamental economic coudit OTIS Of
the people. The increase of wages 20
the Panama Canal Zone had more to do
with the general health conditions u.
the isthmus than ny sanitary measure
employed there. The measures employed
for the control Of yellow fever and
malaria and certain other diseases w,r.
responsible for Che Improved coma
tons. with relation TO those particular
diseases, but the reason why the 2.H,
compares favorably with many port .u-
of the United States In hcaltltG .h,.. 10
that the living conditions Of th, WaI..It
have been improved by inCrras. a Wages
"Of course 1t would be folly for %. 90.
sit back and fail To do the things ",
know will succeed in the prevent. Il
disease and wait for economic pro-
To work out improvements In ''
conditions of tho workers and tu.r.ly
improve our pubic health. 1t IS ~ ..,
wrong, however, to neglect Tie 'u'
that permanent Improvement. a. 10
health. can only be effected THROUGH ."
proved living conditions to be- hIug.u,
about through increased wage
The greatest single factor ~ or
present low standard Of wages ae ,0U-
pared with the cost Of living. is t''
fact that so much OF our land. which
is the only true basis for taxation rs
permitted to lie idle, or is only partially
productive, because the man Wlr
proves his land is peuallzct ny t.>.-
ton, while the man who permits h %.
lie unimproved benefits tlruU.N 'c
penalties levied on his more progressive
neighbor.'