The Coconino sun., 1920-08-13
STATE HEALTH BOARD
 FINDS BAD CONDITIONS

or health and the Arizona Anti-tuber- culosis association has revealed con dition of congestion in some of the larger towns and of proximity of chil- dren to tuberculosis and other com municable diseases almost unbeliev- able in their extent. This is set forth in an article appearing in the current issue of the Bulletin just published by the state board of headth. MT. T. c. Cuvellier, who is in charge of this work found housing conditions among the poorer families of Phoenix and Tucson fully as bad as any he has seen in his wide experience in the tenement districts of New York and other large centers of population. Many families were living, eating, sleeping and cook ing in the same room with scores of them crowded into a single block or group of dwellings opening on a com mon court. In many of. these cases children were found living in the same room as persons afflicted with positive cases of tuberculosis. In many cases filth and flies contributed to the gen eral squalor and unhealthiness of the surroundings.
 The object of these surveys may be stated as follows:
 1-To determine the housing condi- tion with especial reference to con- gestion.
 2-To ascertain the number of cases where children are in close proximity to cases of positive pulmonary tuber- culosis of other communicable dis eases.
 3-To ascertain the household sur- roundings with reference to the prox- imity of stables, garbage Repositories and other fiy-breeding spots.
 4-To investigate the water supply and trace the origin of pollution.
 5-To prepare accurate records of all cases of sickness during the past year and at the present time with the idea of being able to point out the need of permanent public nurse for every community.
 6-To point out the need of establish ing free clinics about which the work of the public health nurse would cen ter.
 7-To ascertain the sanitary condi- tions of stores, restaurants, hotels and soda fountains.
 Phoenix was the first point of at tack in the establishment of the free clinic system. A trial demonstration clinic handled scores of cases and the data obtained together with that se- cured in the general health survey of the community have been invaluable. A similar clinic has just been conclud- ed at Tucson, one has just been open ed at Prescott and Morenci, as a typ ical mining camp with large foreign population will be next on the list.
 As showing the scope of the survey and figures on the recent Tucson sur vey and clinic which are truly illum- mating.
 A house to house canvass was made by the public health nurses in charge of the campaign, taking in the poorer congested districts and some of the tuberculosis colonies. A total of 969 positive cases of pulmonary tubercu- losis was discovered. In addition there were gro persons from 45 states and territories, who had come to Tucson following the influenza conditions which did not clear. MT. Cuvellier says it is safe to say that majority of these are tubercular. Added to this were 108 cases of persons who had come to find relief from past pneu- monia conditions, many of whom may have incipient tuberculosis. There were also reported 139 cases of asth- ma and 76 cases of bronchitis, the symptoms of which are similar to pulmonary tuberculosis.
 TLnxn Lo. hnnn a aanQral JmnrpG- sion that the white plague in this state has been confined to the Mexican pop ulation largely. This is disproven by the fact that the 969 positive cases re- ported in Tucson 726 were of white Americans and only 106 of Mexicans with the remainder scattered among other foreigners.
 One of the most alarming things re- vealed was the fact that there were 1O87 children of school age and under living in intimate association with pos itive tuberculosis patients. Of the 22 cases of tuberculosis among children examined in the clinic in each case it was found that the child was living in close quarters with some other person afflicted. Thirty families were found eating, sleeping and cooking in the same room, where there were adult positive cases of tuberculosis. Four ten families with tuberculosis in the family were found living in two rooms and IS families similarly affected liv- ing in three rooms. One case was found of family of eight persons liv- ing in one room with an advanced case of tuberculosis. The boy patient was removed to hospital. Practically 50 per cent of families living in congest- ed quarters were found to be surround ed by decidedly insanitary conditions with regards kitchens, toilets, slop and garbage containers.
 The survey and clinic at Tucson have resulted in the establishment of a permanent clinic with public health nurse in charge, the first in the state. This work will be carried on under the direction of the Pima County Anti tuberculosis association. Though at tention will be centered at present on &ba nf tho cyraa1 of tnbpr-