The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-31
TUBERCULOSIS, THE
STATES GREAT PROBLEM
In the Average State In the Union There Are 10000 Active
Cases Best Plans For Combating Great
White Plague.

of Masons we could give the approx
mate number from actual reports, the
names If necessary. of consumptive
Nasons in the State, the number of
these Masons In the incipient stage of
the disease. and the number dependent
upon outside help for proper treat
ment. We could make a specific ap-
peal on basis of exact facts to each
one of the multiple cooperative
agencies.
An important principle that the CO.
operative agencies would be asked to
recognize. in making their contribu-
tons to the maintenance fund. Is to
make their appropriation of such an
amount and with such conditions as to
encourage further contributions from
other sources For example. the State
furnishes a sanitorium and contributes
a sufficient amount to Its maintenance
20 bring It's advantages not to but
easily within the financial grasp OF the
Masonic order of the State: the era nd
lodge. having had its attention called
10 It's needy and deserving consump-
tive brethren on the one hand. and to
the advantages and comparative
cheapness of treatment in the State
saniteria on the other hand, contrib
utes $500 or 81. o0o annually for the
treatment OF eonsumptive Masons in
III STATE ltStltbt!Ot, HlaklHh II cbTUt~
ton for obtaining the grand lodge as
sisfance that the consumptive Mason
anplicant for sanitorium treatment
shall obtain a part of the fund for his
treatment from his own local lodge
thereby securing a material and trus@
worthy endorsement by the local lodca
Of the applicant. and at the sa me time
extending the financial assistance of
the grand lodge. In this way the grand
~. \. ~ =
tion OF from $3.50 to 1850 year by
itself contributing from $500 to 81 600
We may now consider briefly the
possible roles In our cooperative
scheme OF
The Various Cooperative Agencies.
tal The State will equip the sani-
toria and will make the following ap-
preparations for maintenance: For the
first two years, $4,000 annual appro-
priation: for the second two years.
$4,000 annual appropriation. and for
the last two years. $50. 900 annual ap-
preparation. The total cost to the State
state. them OF this institution. the cost
or both construction and maintenance
for six years will be: For the first two
years, $4,000 annually: for the next
two years $4,000 annually: for the
next two years, $780, oo annually; and
thereafter. unless the institution Ia en-
larged, $4,000 annually. Certainly the
average State can AFFORD this amount
for an effectuai fight against tuber-
cuiosis, and this amount will. In my
Judgment. and according to North
Cardinals limited experience with the
plan. prove sufficient to enlist the CO.
operative activity of the various or
CARNATIONS above mentioned
tb) Many patients who could af-
ford to pay their pro rata part OF the
maintenance of the Institution over
and above that part of the matnte-
nance covered by the State appropria-
ton would contribute TO the sanitorium
something like 81 a day for treatment
In making II possible for patients to
obtain proper sanitorium treatment at
such a figure. that is. at about one
third the cost of sanitorium treatment
In private sanitoria. the State brings
the santtorium not to but within the
financial grasp of large number of
It's citizens who would otherwise die
for lack of proper treatment
(c) The political units OF the
State, the counties and towns, would
be asked to endow from one to ten
beds In the State sanitorium at a cost
of from 1856 to $3.50 year, where
from two to twenty of their needy and
deserving consumptive citizens could
be sent by the county or town authori-
ties for proper treatment: or perhaps
better the counties and municipalities
would be asked to set aside an annual
appropriation for such purpose,
which appropriation would be avail
able. excet under exceptional circum-
stances, to citizens OF the county or
town who themselves would pay part
Of their treatment. or for whom part
of the treatment would be paid by
n q tfny1 iUi at,c
the State, the first question is. Can the
State bear it? This question resolves
itself into a consideration first of the
financial strength Of the average State.
and second, the weight of the burden.
found 1T difficult to find just what Is
the annual income of the different
States OF the Union and, therefore,
what is the income OF the average
State. The best we can do under the
guess. The World Almanac says that
North Carolina in wealth Is the
twenty-first state in the Union. The
annual income OF North Carolina is
So 900, goo We shall probably be safe
In assuming, therefore. that the aver
age State of the Union has an annual
income of between 100000 and So
900, 900. Out of this limited revenue
the State must pay the multiple and
necessary expenses of its government.
which no one can truly appreciate
wi bout looking over State auditors
report SO much. then. for the ability
of the State to carry the burden Of
tuberculosis
The Weight OF the Burden.
In the average State OF the Union
there are 10000 visibly active cases OF
tuberculosis: from 1000 to 1000 of
these. ooasumptiyes will die for lack of
proper treatment II left dependent
upon their own resources: recent In