The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-08
STATE WILL RECL LAIM MEN
 HELD UNFIT
Tuberculosis Commission Starts to Save Those Re jeCted by Draft Boards
 in Recent War.
MANY CASES
 IN MILD FORM
l ,O24 Hen Will Have Chance to Regain Health and Become Valuable
 Citizens.

Tn the hope of preventing tho de- TcloDment of more than one thous- and incipiCut tuberculosis cases in | Connecticut, the State Tuberculosis Commission Is carrying out a plan for getting in touch with that number of young men who were rejected for military service because Of that dis case.
 In most cases the symptoms of tu- berCulosis were vague and only par tinily defined although they were sufficient 10 lead boards of physical examiners to assert that it would be dangerous for the drafted men to en- sage in such activity as strenuous military service. Their rejection by the draft boards, therefore, follow ed.
 The lists of draft rejects through out the country were secured by the National TUbcrcIousis Association which, in turn, sent them to its state agents. In Connecticut its agent is thc State Tuberculosis Commission. which has recently inauEurated in every city and town in the state a system of preventive and educational anti i-tuherculosis work in which the investigation of the cases of sus- Iectod tuberculosis among tho draft rejects naturally forms a part
 The policy of the Commission is to energetcaUy combat tuberculosis at tho first signs instead of waiting for the need of hospital and sanatorium treatment and. as the incipieut cases of inc draft rejects indicated the value of immediate preventive meas pres, the Commission acted at once, The local agents of the Tuberculosis Commission, including the tuber- cuIosis specialists, general medical practitioners, visiting nurses, Elm TlgEees' Tuberculosis Relief Associa- tious, and other anti-tuberculosis agencies were notified of the situa- ton and have heartily volunteered their cooperation in the movement of looking up the draft rejects and trying to reha bliiate them physical 1y-
 The lists. town by town have been sent them and they have begun the task of restoring the rejects to robust vigor by 5nstructiug them in the fundamentals of tuberculosis treat meut such as fresh air. outdoor life, rest. proper nourishment, and regular and light exercise.
 Judged by the success attained by these agencies in arresaing incipient cases of tuberculosis, about sixty per cent should be rehabilitated as ac- tive healthy and energetic citizens This number, it is felt by the Com mission, should hold true of men ex- am1ned in military service as of those in civil life who have been diagnosed as having the disease in an incipien1 stage
 Although tho National Tuberculosis Association was una ble to secure the official lists of draft rejects from every Connecticut town, 1t obtained those from all of the large cities and the largest towns
 The total number of drafted men from ConnecticuI thus far reported who were rejected from military ser vice during tle World War because of tuberculosis was 1924 Of these, the largest number, 127 were from New Haven Bridgeport was closely second win 121- and Hartford third with 112- Waterbury came fourth with 105-
 A number of almost inexplicabIe statistics were recorded in the re ports from some of the cities For instance the city of New Britain reg istered only q rejects. while Dan bury. considerably smaller had 76- Bristol showed only 4 while Stan- ford recorded 25- NauEatuck had 29 and WI1IimanTic only 5-
 The total list as sent to the State Tuberculosis Commission by the Ma 1i0nal Association includes=
 Traft rejects because of Tubercu- losls from Connecticut Towns
 Bethel 5; Bridgeport 121; Dan bury. 76: Greenwich 14; Norwalk, 9: Stamford 25 and Watertown, g.