Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-15
POVERTY AND
TUBERCULOSIS
Essential Forces to Every Investi-
gator Who Faces Disease
Problem.
INTERESTING FEATURE.
OF Public Health Report Conclusions
Reached Point Directly to Close
Connection Between Poverty
and tuberculosis.

Poverty ami tuberculosis bercu-
losis and poverty These are the es-
sential facts which force themselves
10 the attention of every investigator
who faces the problem of that dread
disease.
The tenement house district of Gin
cinnati yields a tuberculosis morbidi.v
just three times as great as the areas
where better housing prevails. In 1877
families in which tuberculosis existed
the average monthly income for a
family OF four was approximately $57.
After paying the pro rata share for
food and rent. a balance of S5.13. re-
manned for each individual to meet
all other expenses.
Such low subsistence level works
like black magic in the spread of tu-
herculosis. Moreover, and this is a
point over which the public should
ponder, the homo OF the average wage
Garner was found to be far less sani-
tary than the average factory and
workshop In regard 10 all the fac
tors which make for healthful living.
ventilation. sufficient light. proper
temperature and freedom from over
crowding, The score was in favor OF
the factory in nearly every instance.
The city of Cincinnati realized that
her tuberculosis death raj was so per
cent above the average and that it had
failed TO manifest a tendency TO de
cline. She felt no qualms in making
this admission. Rather, she determ-
ined shes would learn why. with an
efficient health department and favor
able climatic influences, she was suf-
fering from twice the mortality from
that disease as her neighbor. Pitts
burgh. Accordingly. the United States
Public Health Service was requested
to make a thorough study of the sit
uation and submit report
To show that something more than
mere academic interest obtained. 49,
932 workers in 154 factories of the city
voluntarily submitted to a physical ex-
animation. The conclusions reached.
point directly to the close connection
between poverty and tuberculosis.
The great factor underlying the en-
tire problem was seemingly that Of
economic conditions. One-sixth of all
tuberculosis cases came from cheap
lodging houses. Alcoholism was a
prominent cause. and often acceler-
ated the course of the disease. Oc-
cupational hazards and bad working
conditions were apparently RESPONSE
BILE 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
occurred in practically third of all
the cases investigated Dissipation
overc~owGiag, ba'l housing. and innate
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 character. relates to
the effect of immigration and the rate
of growth Of the population of a city
upon the tuberculosis death rate. T.
is shown that cities with a population
composed largely of racial stock hav
ing limited resistance to tuberculosis
are subject to a high mortality rate
front hat disease, while centers hav-
ing slow Iate of population increase
are likewise subject to high tubercu-
losis death rate
The evidence is submitted in a com
parative table covering sixteen Amer
lean cities. Almost without exception
those with high percentage of Irish.
Scandinavian and German stock, and
those in which the negro population is
relatively large, have a corresponding
ly high mortality while those where
the Indian and Jewish element is pro-
portionately great have a low tubercu-
losis death date. Similarly such cit
les as Detroit and Cleveland, with high
rates. of population increase, show a
low tuberculosis mortality, while Gin
cininati and Baltimore, with a rela-
lively small population increase. have
high tuberculosis rate. Doubtless,
the true explanation of this discrep-
ancy is that advanced by the authors.
namely. that where the poulation in
crease is rapid, new buildings are
erected TO take the place of old in
sanitary structures and better housing
conditions prevail.