The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-12
WHITE PLAGUE IS
 FEDERAL PROBLEM
 SAYS ASSOCIATION
Urge Government Moneys to Care For Vic
 tims

Washington, May 12-Federal con- trol of the tuberculosis problem was one of the principal subjects discussed before the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, which opened a two-day session here Thursday. Speakers urged that the United States government provide pay ment of specified amounts to States or communities caring for non-resi- dent indigent consumptives. It was explained that many Western States are burdened by supporting patients whose homes are elsewhere.
 Several hundred physicians and public health Officials are attending the meetings. The National Confer ence of Tuberculosis Secretaries and the American Sanatoriun Association will hold sessions tomorrow.
 Homer Folks, secretary of the New York State Charities Aid Association, made an urgent plea for the estab- Hshment of a, strong division of tub erculosis in the United States Public Health Service as one step in any ade- quate programme of preparedness
 Scientific advance,' MT. Folks said, s'has accomplished many mar veIs in the instrumentalities of war but it has not yet succeeded in pro- ducing a rnanIess gun. The man be- hind the gun is as important as he ever was. Germany has made her wonderful record of military success because behind her extraordinarily ef- ficient guns she has had an adequate number of efficient men, because for decades she has given careful atten< ton to the physical we'll being of her citizens and especially to the cure and prevention of tuberculosis. She has led the world in the development of tuberculosis sanatoria- In Ger many, tuberculosis is a local problem, a state problem, and an Imperial problem.
 e.In the United States tuberculosis has been mainly a local problem, in small degree a state problem, and hardly at all, as yet, a national problem. The time has come when the Federal authorities should as assume that degree of efficient leader ship which they are exercising in the problems of agriculture and other economic interests.
 statistics collected by the National Tuberculosis association show an ex- penditure for the care and prevention of tuberculosis in the United States last year of $22,5O,0O0. This is al- most wholly a local or state expendi- ture By means of a division of tu- berculosis in the United States Public Health Service, with a, trif1ing expen- allure as compared with this $22.- 900 900, the federal authorities could, by wise leadership, tremendously in l crease the effectiveness of this enor- nous local expenditure
 Announcement was made of a gift of $100,OOO to the National ,Associa- ton of the Study and Prevention of 1 Tuberculosis by >Dr. E. R. Baldwin, president of the organization. The gift is from the Metr opolitan Life Insurance Co. and is given for the i purpose of demonstrating by a com ! e. that tuberculosis can be controlIed just the same as any other infectious disease if right methods and adequate resources areN available. It is planned to select a town or city of about 5, 900 inhabitants, probably in New York or Massac chusetts, and to apply there all of the Knowledge on the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis avail able, with a. view to the ultimate eradication of the disease. If the National association can demonstrate that tuberculosis can be controlled in one community. it will start a cam paign to apply this knowledge to every city and town in the United States.
 DF Baldwin also emphasized the most significant developments in the ti-tuberculosis field during the last year. 'sIn our educational campaign ? he said, i've are applying more in tensive methods of group education in schools, churches, lodges, labor unions, and even among physicians and nurses
 Dr. Charles J. Hatfield, executive i secretary of the association, reported new organizations in almost every part of the country and an increase of more than $500 in the number of agencies engaged in the anti-tubercu- losis fight. The death rate in the larger cities has shown a decline dur ing the last 10 years-in some of them more than 30 per cent. and an average of 20 per cent.
 The Red Cross Christmas Seal sale for 1915 reached a total of sO.o0o.oOO seals sold, bringing in a gross reve- nue to the. anti-tubercuIosis move ment of nearly $8oO,oO0.