The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-02-02
EXPERIENCES


dress delivered by Colonel l.. NJ. Maus,
secretary of the State Department of
Health, at the First Presbyterian
church on Monday afternoon:
II is not generally known, but it is a
fact, that tuberculosis or consumption,
as it is commonly called. is the most
serious health problem in Kentucky
and causes one-sixth of the deaths in
the state.
More of our people die from con-
sumption than from diphtheria. hook
worm. la grippe, pellagra, scarlet fe-
yer, typhoid fever and whOoping cough
besides all of the murders and sui
cides thrown in. AS a matter of fact,
one-half of our annual death rate, in
oluding that from tuberculosis, results
from preventable diseases.
Few people realize the extent of tn.
berculosis infection in Kentucky, or
the enormous sacrifice of human life
resulting from this disease. From
carefully gathered statistics we find
that more than 10000 people in the
state are affected with the Great
White Plague, over 5000 of whom an.
nually pass away.
Kentucky stands third among the
states OF the Union in the proportion
of deaths per 100000 from tubereu-
losis. The figures given by the United
States census of 1910 were 800 per
100000, while the percentage in many
of the other states ran below 100 per
100000. We are also informed that
Kentucky has the largest percentage
Of blindness among the states of the
Union, a condition due principally to
diseases of vice and ignorance.
Many people are still discussing the
large number of deaths caused during
the Civil war. in which the nation lost
100000 men. and yet little or nothing
is said of the 100000 men, women and
children who die every year in the
United States from the Great White
Plague.
Should Kentucky stock raisers lose
as many fine horses, cattle and hogs
each year from preventable diseases
as the state loses in human lives from
tuberculosis war-cry would be
raised among the stockmen which
could be heard from the Bluegrass re-
gion to the national capital at Wash.
ington.
General ignorance among the masses
concerning the spread and prevention
of consumption is regarded as one OF
the principal causes of its prevalency
in the state. The United States census
of 1910 has shown that Kentucky pos
sesses a larger number of illiterates
than any other state in the Union re.
gardless of size or population In fact
in percentage of native white litter
acy, Kentucky stands forty-seventh
among the states of the Union.
| The financial loss to the state should
also he considered in discussing the
tuberculosis problem. The actuaries
o. many of our life insurance COM
panies have placed an average yalu-
alton of $4,000 on the labor of every
able-bodied person during the produc.
tive period of life, 20 to 60 years. Els.
timating the average life of the 6,OOJ
consumptiyes who die annually in
Kentucky at 35 years, the state loses
10000. 900 per year.
Should the value of each adult dying
from tuberculosis be placed at &c.
900, and estimate three-ffths OF those
who die as grown ups" the state
would still lose the prlncely sum OF
S36,OOO,OO0 from deaths alone. BE.
sides this enormous sum, an equal
amount representing the earning ca
pacity and maintenance of at least 20,
O0O consumptives, who are unable tC
work. is lost to the state each year, as
well as the cost of caring for the des-
titute widows and orphans of those
who die.
Besides the financial loss to the
state and the social and economic is.
sues involved in the relation of tn.
berculosis to poverty and crime, we
still have one sad fact which over
shadows all else, the sorrow and hu-
man suffering endured by those who
are daily dropping out, and the hear;
aches OF the dear ones left behind.
The diagnosis of tuberculosis In It's
early stages is frequently a very diff
ficult matter. Il is only after care
ful inquiry into the history OF the In
dividual, his surroundings and symp.
toms, physical examination of all the
organs involved, microscopical exam
ination OF the blood and sputum. and
one OF the tuberculin tests, that a pos
sible diagnosis can be made. Hence
an early diagnosis in the rural dis.
triets is rarely obtained.
Unfortunately for those who are
susceptible to the disease. tubercu-
losis usually develops slowly and
without pain. There are thousands Of
people in this state OF both sexes and
of All aaaa Who ara aarlo,,ayv ~.