Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-06
THIS TOWN HAD 37
 TUBERCULOSIS REFLECTIONS

In the hope of preventing tho de- velopment of more than one thousand ] incipient tuberculosis cases in Con- necticut the state tuberculosis com mission in carrying out plan for getting in touch with that number of young men who were rejected for military service because of that dis ease.
 In most eases the symptoms of tu berculosis were vague and only par tialiy defined. although they were stif- ficent to lead boards ot physical cX- anfiners to assert that it would be dangerous for the drafted men to en- gage in such activity as strenuous military service. Their rejection by the draft boards, therefore followed
 The lists of draft rejects through national tuberculosis associa tion which, in turn sent them to it's state agents. In Connecticut it's agent is the state tubercusosis commission which has recently inaugura ted in every large city and town in the state a system Of preventive and educa- tional anti-tubercusolis work in which the Investigation of the cases of sus- pected tuberculosis among the draft rejects naturally forms a part.
 The policy of the commission is to energetically combat tuberculosis at the first signs. instead of waiting for the need of hospital and sanatoriurn Urea tment and the incipient cases of the draft rejects indicated the value Of immediate preventative m ca sures, the commission acted at once. The local agents of the tuber- culosis commission, including the tu- bcrculosiS specialties, general medi- cal practitioners visiting nurses en- ployes' tuberculosis relief associa talon and other anti-tuberculosis agencies were notified of the situa ton and have heartily volunteered their co-opera tion in the movement of looking up the draft rejects and trying to rehibilitate them physically.
 The lists. town by. town, have been sent them and they have begun the ta six of restoring the rejects to robust viSor hy instructing them in the fun damentals of tuberculosis treatment such as fresh air. out of door life rest proper nourishment, and regular and light exercise.
 Judged by the successes attained by these agencies in arresting incipient cases of tuberculosis. about sixty per cent. should be rehibilitated as active, healthy and energetic citizens This number, it is felt by the commission, should hold true of men examined in military service a of those in civil life who have been diagnosed as hav- ing the disease in an incipient sta ge.
 Although the national tuberculosis associat ton was unable to secure the official lists of draft rejects from every Connecticut town. it obtained those from all of the large cities and the largest towns.
 The total number of drafted men from Connecticut thus far reported who were rejected from military ser vice during the world war because of tuberculosis was 1,o24 Of these tn largest number. 127 were from New Haven Bridgeport was closely second with 121. and Hartford third with 112. Waterbury came fourth with 106.
 4 number of almost inexplicable statistics were recorded in the reports from some of the cities. For instance the city of New Britain registe cred only 31 rejects. while Dan bury, consider ably smaller. had 76. Bristol showed only f. while Stamford recorded 25 Naugatuck had 2e, and Willimantic only 5.
 The total list, as sent to the state tuberculosis commission, by the na- tional association. is alphabetically as follows:
 Draft rejects because of tubercu- losis from Connecticut towns:
 Ansonia, II; Bethel. 5: Berlin 2; Rranford. "A Bridgeport 121: Bristol 4; Canaan, 3; Danhury, 7e; East Hartford. IT; Enfield, 21; Farming ton, I; Hartford, 112: Greenwich, 14; Litchfield, 2; Manchester. II; Meriden 3z; Middletown. s; Milford. 2; Nauga- tuck, 23; New Britain. 31; New Haven 127: New London. Az; New Milford g; Norwalk, 3: Norwich, 37: Orange 70; Plainville. 90; Plymouth. 6; Port land 9: Putnam, IT. Saybrook. 13; Simsbury, l; Southington, l: Stam- ford, 25; Thomaston. 4: Torrington, g: Vernon. 12i Waterbury. lG5; Wster-