The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-01-30
TOFIGHT WHITE PLAGUE

That the negro population Of the
State is serious menace to health,
especially as regards tuberculosis, was
the keynote of addresses delivered in
the House of Delegates chamber at
the State House last week, where the
opening session of the first State con-
ference to discuss ways and means for
the prevention and relief of tubercu-
losis was held.
Governor Goldsborough, who has
taken keen interest in public health,
presided over the meeting and deliver
ed an address. The meeting was larg-
ely attended, prominent medical men
and citizens from many parts of the
State and few from other States be-
ing present.
The Governor began his address by
reciting statistics showing the number
of persons afflicted and those who died
of the disease in the last year. He
lauded Maryland for being one of the
first States to wage campaign
against tuberculosis and spoke Of the
splendid work accomplished by the
State institutions. He commended the
work that has been accomplished by
the State association and the modern
methods employed for combating the
disease.
"The efforts of the medical men,"
he said, "have resulted in a systematic
method of dealing with the disease,
and we must continue to teach the
people how to live and care for them
selves"
The Governor then presented DR..
Thomas Fell, president of the Ann
Arundel county branch of the State
organization, who read brief report
of the local society.
DR.. Frank j. Goodnow, president Of
Johns Hopkins University, said, in
part:
"We are here to plan campaign
against tuberculosis, the most insidi-
Gus and deadly foe of the human race.
The attacks of this foe are not ac-
companied by dramatic and spectacu-
lar incidents such as are characteristic
of some of the more virulent diseases.
1t is, however, just because of the in
sidious nature of tuberculosis that it
is so dangerous. 1t is well named the
white plague, for it is plague which
demands toll of victims larger in the
aggregate than that famous black
death which ravaged Europe so many
years ago and which many physicians
think they can identify in the pneu-
monic plague which has recently re-
appeared in Manchuria.
"There are certain social conditions
obtaining in this State, which add
great dangers to our situation. refer,
of course, to the LARGE negro popula-
tion of the State. The reasons why
the existence of this large population
presents great dangers are two in
number:
"In the first place, as l understand
it, the negro is more predisposed to
tuberculosis than the white man.
Wherever We find the negro living
with the white man the danger of the
continuance and spread of the disease
is increased. The white man has no
immunity from negro tuberculosis.
There is no difference between the mi
crobes which attack the white man
and those which attack the negro. Con-
sequently the very presence of the
negro in large numbers in a commun-
ity increases the seriousness of the
problem.
"In the second place, the negro is
more liable to become a victim be-
cause of the way in which he lives.
The economic capacity of the negro is
less than is that of the white man. The
negro therefore, must live in condi-
ions less favorable to securing immun-
ity from the disease than the white
man.
therefore l say that both at the
present time and for long time to
come the presence of a large negro
population in the State will make it
necessary for the State to carry on a
more active campaign against tuber-
culosis than is perhaps necessary in
some of the States to the north of us,
where population conditions are nee
essary."