The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-17
Fight On
tuberculosis
BOARD OF HEALTH BULLETIN

Once more Florida is making
new advance in the fight against
tuberculosis. 1t is putting into OPP
Grafton plan which it is expected
will secure a careful survey of the
entire state to enumerate and locate
the consumptives in Florida and
spread knowledge of the treatment
of the disease that is within the
reach of those of most limited means.
Florida's Board of Health does
not oppose the sanitarium treatment
of this disease. 1t advocates it for
those whose financial circumstances
permit them to take advantage of
the splendid discipline and attention
that it insures. The board has
realized that the erection of such
sanitaria in Florida, for both races
and both sexes, is beyond the prac-
tical financial reach of the state,
when it is remembered that the state
Of Ohio has expended nearly three
quarters of million dollars for such
an institution which has capacity
for 142 patients only, while the can
vas of the state shows more than
sixty thousand patients entitled to
it's benefits. But the board appre-
ciates and favors the practical val
ue of the open-air treatment which
is within the reach of even the poor
est. Within the past few weeks
plans have been completed to put
into operation, July /, the district
nursing idea and to cover Florida
with this practical work For this
purpose the state has been divided
into six districts, nearly equal in
population, not including in the OPP
Grafton of the work the three larg-
est centers of population. Jackson
Vile, Pensacola and Tampa, which
already have taken the matter in
hand more or less efficiently.
The first district includes tine
counties west of the Chattahoochee
river, with headquarters at Pensa-
cola, the population by the census
of 1910, being about $4,000. The
second includes the counties between
the Chattahoochee and the Suwanee
rivers, with headquarters at ITALIA
hassee, and with population OF
1O4, 600.
The third embraces the northeast
ern counties of Nassau. Duval, Clay,
Putnam, Baker, Bradford, Columbia,
Hamilton and Suwanee. It's popula-
ton approximates 171,00O including
that of Jacksonville, the headquar-
| tiers.
Daytona is the headquarters OF
the next district, which includes the
Atlantic coast counties from st.
Johns to Dade, with an estimated
population of 1900. Gainesville is
the headquarters of another district
which embraces the counties of Ala
chua, Levy, Marion, Citrus, Lake,
Pasco, fernando and Sumter, and
has a population of 100000. The
remaining counties of the state are
embraced in the sixth district which
with the headquarters, city Of Tam
pa, has population of 100000.
To each of these districts nurse
or superintendent, has been assigned
to carry on the work, as far as pos
sible, of ascertaining the location
and circumstances of every tubercu
lar sufferer in her district, to offel
assistance where it is acceptable, Il
advise not only as to the treatment
in each particular case, but also Il
prevent the spread of the infection
The six nurses or superintendent
selected for this important work
were chosen by competitive examina
ton from seventeen applicants. Thu
Icommittee in charge of the examina
ton was composed Of DR.. R. H
fMcGinnis, President of the Florid;
Medical Society: DR.. Ellen Lowell
Stevens, Chairman Of the Depart
lment of Public Health, Florida Fed
Ieration of women's Clubs, both o
Jacksonville, and Mr.. Marcus Fagg