Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-06-19
Poverty and Tuberculosis.

the essential facts which force themselves
to the ATTENTION of eAery investigator who
faces the problem Of that disease. The
tenement house district of Cincinnati
yields tuberculosis morbidity just three
times a. great ~ the areas where better
housing prevails. In 1877 families in
which tuberculosis existed the average
monthly income for . family of four wai
approximately 81. After paying the pro.
rata share for food and rent, balance OF
s5.1S remained for each individual to
meet al other expenses. Such . low
subsistence level works like black magic
in thsspread Of tuberculosis. Moreover,
and this 10 point over which the public
should ponder, the home of the average
wage Garner was found to be far less
sanitary than the average factory and
workshop. In regard to all the factors
which make for bealthful living, ventila-
ton, sufficient light, proper tenn mperature,
and freedom from overcrowding, the
score Was In favor of the factory in nearly
every instance.
The city of Cincinnati realized that the
tuberculosis death rate was so percent
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 abe would
learn why, with an efficient health de.
partmeut and favorable climatic in.
fluences, she was suffering from twice
the mortality from that disease as her
peigbbor, Pittsburgh. Accordingly the
United States Public Health Service was
requested to make thorough study of
the situation and submit report. To
show that something more than mere
academic interest obtained, 1882 work
ers in 154 factories of the city voluntarily
submitted to physical examination.
The conclusions reached, point directly
to the close connection between poverty
and tuberculosis. The great factor un.
derlying the entire problem was SEEM
ingly that of economic conditions. 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 we're
apparently responsible for about 20 per-
cent of the cases, but in the majority of
instances these hazards were not neces-
sarily inherent In the occupation. Pre-
vious tuberculosis In tho family occurred
in practically third of all the cases in.
vestigated. Dissipation, overcrowding
bad housing, and innate lack of personal
responsibility, were also listed IS 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 q
city upon the tuberculosis death rate.
1t is shown that cities with population
composed largely of racial stock having
a limited resistance to tuberculosis are
subject to high mortality rate from that
desease, while centers having slow rate
of population increase are likewise sub
ject to a high tuberculosis rate. The
evidence is submitted in q comparative
table covering sixteen American 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 q correspondingly high mortality.
while those where the italian and Jewish
element is propertionately great have
low tuberculosis death rate. Similarly.
such cities az Detroit and Cleveland.
with high rates of population increase,
show a low tuberculosis mortality, while
Ciscinnsti and Baltimore with a relative.
ly small population increase have a high
tuberculosis rate. Doubtless the true
explanation of this discrepancy is that
advanced by the authors. namely, that
uharo tho ooDnlotion increaae In ranid
new buildings are erected to take the
place of old insanitary structures and
better housing conditions prevail.