Evening journal., 1915-06-23
BOARD OF HEALTH BULLETIN
TUBERCULOSIS TRAVELLERS.


/ That 10000 consnmptives annually
go west to die is the statement made ,
! by the United States Public Health .
Service, as the result Of iEvestiga- :
tions recently completed. The tuber- /
culosis population of western Texas
and New Mexico is estimated to OK
ceed 5OOOO and from % per cent. to
60 per cent of tie families have some
member who is or was infected. The
consumptive population who have NIL
grated from other States is more than
1000 at Albuquerque, above 5000 at
El Paso. and $500 at San Antonio. The
effects of the transportation OF thous-
ands of consumptiyes TO ana from
the resort cities upon the health OF
fellow travellers. the dangers arising
TO the communities themselves from
the influx Of nvalids, and the social
and economic results. are the subject
of this broad and interesting study
Contrary to general opinion, the
migration of the tuberculous is in
creasing. Practically every resort
city and county is today receiving
moro consumptives than ever, al
II AuOuku III ulOrA llNldniRN TINS III
crease has not kept pace with that OF
the population. Tables of death rates
of the principal resort cities clearly
demonstrate this fact. In other words
more people seek climate cure for tu-
herculosis at present than at any
other time.
The percentage of deaths from tu-
berculosis occurring within a short
period of arrival arc lessening. This
is encouraging. and indicates that the
educational propaganda to keep far
advanced cases at home has been OF
benefit Nevertheless. as high AS IS
| per cent. of all deaths occur within
30 days after arrival. This shows that
many were in dying condition when
they we're transferred. Forty-six per
cent of all deaths occur within sir
months Of arrival. indicating that
many consumptives go TO the west
too late to be benefited Instances
are cited of 01ath overtaking suf-
ferers on trains and in stations
Protection of Public Considered.
| The sanitation of railway coaches
and the precautions observed while
in transit receive particular atten-
tion. The average consumptive 6x-
ercises no precautionary attention.
The care given cars at terminals had
an important bearing upon the sit
uation of cars at resort terminals is
emphasized Hospital cars, segrega-
ton. quarantine and other schemes.
arc shown TO be impracticable The
public must. therefore. look to rea-
sonable sanitary measures for protec-
tion.
| Dust. confinement. altitude. and
parting from friends. are declared TO
be often detrimental to patients. es-
pecially those ir the latter stages of
the disease Cases OF this nature
should invariably be guided by pro.
fessional advice Accompaniment by
friends wherever possible is urged.
Marked antaeonism has developed
in many western cities toward tuberc
ulosis sufferers. Great difficulty Il
at times encountered in securing no
tel accommodations and boarding
places. Even hospital care is occa
sionally denied to those amply SUP
piled with funds. Part of this fee
ing is due to Objectionable conduC
on the part of the cOnsumptive
themselves, and also 10 fear OF tn
. disease. Much of II Us unreasonable
and unjust Even in towns largol
- NNupNStu ul TIE lnNdllQ tluHH lNl
feeling is sometimes manifested 7
some cities, at least. il is due to a DC
termined effort to rid the communit
Of the presence of invalids. So strOn
is this resentment that the hpalt
service warns all those who preser
an appearance of invalldism to D
OF governed accordingly.
RI Many Sufferers Poorly Provided wit
Funds.
an The charity organizations of IN
- resort cities have claimed that hur
ei dreds of consumptives have become
IS burden upon their communities. S
ID great was the outcrv thal a confer
lie cnce of representatives from wester
States was called by the governC
of Texas, and the Federal Governmer
appealed to for aid. Until the prcl
ent time few figures have been az
vanced showing the extent of N
problem.
Many invalids are forwarded 4
= churches, lodges and unions, froi
other States. These people are soo
obliged to seek charitable relief. Wor
is often unobtainable. and compotitio
It's is so keen that consumptives ha'
little opportunity CT obtaining lucri
49, tive employment.
aS' Private charity for the relief
lch sufferers is extensive and too grci
praise cannot be accorded the poop
OF the southwest for assistance rel
dered. but the public charity dispen
ed has been little enough. and not
ely all commensurate with the benen
derived from the coming of heal
seekers. In one instance the oxa
o,a annual per capita cost to the Ia,
= payers was found to he three cent
whereas the city derived untold ben
fit from the thousands of invalids WI
were able TO care for themselves.
u,re large percentage OF cases are show
by their origin and length Of res
dence not to belong 10 other state
sor- In estimating the extent OF pOvert
the investigator even went so far
so to determine the proportion of bo
les returned to relatives. This vari'
DIV. from 30 per cent. at San Antonio
sc per cent at Albuquerque
dds The Public Health Service war
all prospective health seekers of q
difficulties they are bound to &
1me counter. and advises all who are II
sufficiently provided with funds
till remain at home No invalid shou
venture forth unless he has suficie
laps