Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-05-20
POVERTY AND TUBERCULOSIS.

POVERTY AND TUBERCULOSIS
Poverty and tuberculosis-tu
osis and poverty! These are the es-
sential facts which force themselves
to the attention of every investigator
who faces the problem of that dis
ease. The tenement house district Of
Cincinnati yields a tuberculosis NOR
bidity just three times as great as the
areas where better housing prevails.
In 1877 families in which tuberculosis
existed the average monthly income
for family of four was approximate
ly $57. After paying the pro-rata share
for food and rent, balance of $513
remained for each individual to meet
all other expenses. Such a low sub
sistence level works like black magic
in the spread of tuberculosis. More
over, and this is a point over which
the public should ponder, the home Of
to be far less sanitary than the aver
age factory and workshop In regard
to all the factors which make for
bealthful living, ventilation, sufficient
light, proper temperature, and free
dom from oVercrowding, the score was
in favor of the factory in nearly ev-
cry instance.
The city of Cincinnati realized that
her tuberculosis death rate was 80
per cent above the average and that
it had failed to manifest tendency
to decline. She felt no qualms in
making this admission. Rather, she
determined that she would learn why
with an efficient health department
and favorable climatic influences, she
was suffering from twice the mortality
from that disease as her neighbor
Pittsburgh. Accordingly the United
States Public Health Service was re-
quested to make thorough study OF
the situation and submit report. To
show that something more than mere
academic interest obtained, 1882
workers in 154 factories of the city
voluntarily submitted to a physical
examination.
The conclusions reached, point di-
rectly to the close connection between
poverty and tuberculosis. The great
factor underlying the entire problem
:, nf 10 /.
tons. One sixth of all tuberculosis
cases came from cheap lodging houses.
Alcoholism was a prominent cause,
and often accelerated the course OF
the disease. Occupational hazards
and bad working conditions were ap-
parently responsible for about 20 per
cent of the cases, but in the majority
of instances these hazards were not
necessarily inherent in the occupation.
Previous tuberculosis in the family oc
Cured in practically a third of all the
cases investigated. Dissipation, over
crowding, bad housing, and inmate
lack of personal responsibility, were
also listed as causes.
An interesting feature of the report,
and one which has not previously been
dwelt upon in studies of this charac-
ter, relates to the effect of immigra
ton and the rate of growth of the
population of city upon the tuber-
culosis death rate. 1t is shown that
cities with a population composed
largely of racial stock having a limit
ed resistance to tuberculosis are sub
ject to a high tuberculosis rate. The
evidence is submitted in compare
tive table covering sixteen American
cities. Almost without exception those
with a high percentage of Irish, Sean
dinavian and German stock, and those
in which the negro population is re-
latively large, have corresponding
| ly high mortality, while those where
| the Italian and Jewish element is pro-
portionately great have low tuber-
cities as Detroit and Cleveland with
| high rates of population increase,
show a low tuberculosis mortality,
while Cincinnati and Baltimore with
relatively small population increase
have a high tuberculosis rate. Doubt
less the true explanation OF this dis
crepancy is that advanced by the au
thors, namely, that where the popu-
ltaion increase is rapid new buildings
are erected to take the place of old
insamtary structures and better hous-
ing conditions prevail.
+ INCOME TAX COLLECTIONS.