Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-03-05
STATE TUBERCULOSIS
BOARD MAKES REPORT

BOARD MAKES REPORT /
Twice as many men as women die
of tuberculosis in the cities of Con- |
necticut, while in the country about |
the same number of both sexes perish |
from the disease.
In the city tuberculosis kills fewer |
children than it sweeps away in the |
country.
Of the two sexes, more girls than i
boys are killed by the disease
These astonishing statements form
part of the biennial report of the Con-
necticut state tuberculosis commits |
sion which was Tuesday filed with
Governor Holeomb. They are proven
by records in the Office of the state
board of health and they coincide with
statistics which have recently been
published of the raYages of the dis
ease in England and Wales. The Con-
necticut figures for 1917, for instance,
show that, per 100000 population
there were IA males to A females who
died of the disease in towns of more
than 5000 population, while for towns
of less than 5000 population the death
rate was much closer, being At for
males to 50 for females.
Similarly, the number of female chill
dren in the towns of more than 5000
was 5, while for male children the
numDer OF VICTIMS was 3.
In towns of less than 5000 the pro-
portion between the male and female
children was exactly equal, standing
at 3.
Commenting on this fact, the report
adds:
The deductions from these findings
will be various and conflicting, but all
can agree that findings of this kind
show how important it is that the
fight against tuberculosis should be
carried into the factories, stores and
offices where city men work. They
demonstrate also how valuable a
fighting force Connecticut has in the
various anti tuberculosis associations
! of employees in her factories, and stores
and Offices Differed by enthusiastic
and able men, whose only ambition is
| to be of service to their fellows, and
not only giving financial and moral
| support to their sick, but also eXer-
cising a tremendous influence in Sc
curing such factory and Office and
| store conditions as will best safeguard
themselves and the public from the
| terrible disease. they deserve from
| Connecticut recognition and support
! The report asserts that the long
waiting list of patients has disappear
! ed and that additions to the sanatoria
| plants in Shelton and Norwich have
been completed. Of this it SAYS:
! In our last report we laid emphasis
| on the need of more beds and told of
the indignation that the long waiting
| list of applicants for admission to our
| sanatoria aroused throughout the
state. In view of the completion, at
that time, Of the splendid sanatorium
of the New Haven hospital on the
Arlington hills, we reasoned that an
| increase of 60 beds at Shelton and 40
beds at Norwich and 100 beds at a
| seaside sanatorium would enable US
to obliterate our waiting list and leave
us a comfortable margin of safety.
The quick looming of the great war
cloud, during the winter and spring of
| 1917, caused the general assembly,
then in session. to cut down our ex-
pected appropriation Of $125 900 for the
/ seaside sanatorium to SIS, 00G and the
| national government took over the
sanatorium at Arlington for the use OF
| tuberculouS soldiers.
For the obliterating of the obnoxious
waiting list we had, therefore to de-
pend on the appropriation of $50 00C
for completing the infirmary at Shell
ton and $40 900 for erecting a new in
Urinary at Norwich. At the most
these We're not expected to give us
| more than 100 new beds And then
on opening the bids for the completion
of the Shelton sanatorium according
to the original plans that none of the
bids came within our appropriation
1t was necessary to materially reduce
the size of the proposed addition. We
have now completed the building al
Shelton, according to the revised
plans, and instead of the expected 81
new beds we have Sc new beds.
At Norwich we found that it was
not possible to be sure of even 20 beds
in a new building that would cost less
than $4,000. We appealed to the
board of control and submitted .oui
plans and bids, and our appropriation
was raised to $4,000. With this small
sum, thanks to the advice and hearty
cooperation of local architects anC
builders, we have succeeded in erect
ing a fine two story building with {
capacity, not of 20 beds nor of 40 beds
but of 60 bedsl This we consider some.
thing of an achievement. For some
time to come, these 146 new beds vii
do away with most of the distressing
delays in admitting patients unless
as some of the authorities predict
| there should be a great increase Of
tuberculosis IN the community, due tt
the returning troops and to the in.
! f1uenza.
At Norwich DR.. Campbell was fol
many months without an assistan
physician. Nevertheless the work o.
the institution went on almost al
: smoothly as before, and this in spite
of the fact that the new 60-bed in.
, Urinary, the superintendent cottag,
and the new barn were in process o
| erection, and that it was necessary
for him to keep up a constant inspec.
ton of the new work. By the first o
January we hope that Norwich will
accommodate 100 patients.
i Of the recommendation that thu
general assembly compel the genera
: hospitals of the state to provide
ward or separate building for the car
of emergency and dying cases of tn
: bercusosis, the report says:
| In this new, after-the-war era, tn
public will no longer tolerate the view
apparently entertained by some di
rectors of general hospitals that tn
), functioning of these institutions cal
I be restricted to such medical activitie
:, as interest the principal surgeons an
:. physicians. The instant use Of S
: many of the general hospitals of tn
r state during the recent influenza cpl
I demic and the surrendering OF war
4 after ward to the care of patients sic
, with this terrible and contagious dis
Y ease, afforded striking proof of III
i service that the general hospitals ca
r give and must give to their communi
d ties. Yet, if in these same conmuni
1 ties the local visiting nurses discove
f..h fat bar r1ant5,S,-