The Pensacola journal., 1920-04-15
(HY FRANK :. BuRkHALTER)

Had 1t ever occurred to you that
every three minutes some man, wo-
man or child in the United States
dies from tuberculosis?
And did you know that there are
100000 cases of active tuberculo.
sis in this country today, and fully
as many more inactive cases?
Even Of more vital concern, per-
haps, is the fact that 275,000 Of
those active cases and as many
more of the inactive ones are in the
states of the South and Southwest,
where the death rate from tuber-
culosis is 14.2 per cent higher than
IL Is for the remainder of the United
States, and higher than for any
other civilized country on the globe
save China.
And all these statements are true
despite the fact that tuberculosis is
preventable disease. Fresh air,
sunshine, good food, and sensible
sanitary habits of living form
combination that will prevent tuber-
culosis getting a hold on ones sys-
tenn and will generally overcome the
disease where it is detected and ar
rested within reasonable time.
Southern Daily Death Toll Is $50.
Evidently, rot all the people of
the South and Southwest enjoy the
privileges enumerated as the enc
mics of tuberculosis. for within the
eighteen states comprising the ter
ritory of the Southern Baptist Con
vention more than $50 people die
every day from the ravages of the
white plague, making the annual
death toll from this cause alone ST.
d.. And while the loss OF friends
RMd loved ones is distressing under
@my circumstances, their demise be-
comes all the more tragic when We
realize that deaths from tuberculo-
sis could be prevented by intelli-
gent and determined industry, pre-
caution and cooperation on the part
Of all the people. 1t is to the in
terest OF all the people to see that
tuberculosis is stamped out, il for
no other than a financial considera-
ton, for the economic loss from
tuberculosis in the South and South
west alone is $175,000, 900 year,
sum sufficient to absorb a consider
able portion of our annual taxes if
1T could be expended in that way.
Negroes Constitute Special Menace.
One Of the reasons ior so large
n death rate from tuberculosis in
the South and Southwest lies in the
existence in those sections of sucn
a large negro population, for as is
well known, the negro offers a very
poor resistance to the ravages of
the plague. The death rate from
tuberculosis among the negroes of
the South is three and a half times
that among the whites, but as long
as the negroes do much OF the do
mestic service for the white peo-
pie especially in laundering and
cooking, the opportunity for the ne
groes to spread tuberculosis among
the whites is alarmingly large. OF
course the negro will for a long
time to come offer the best solution
OF the servant problem, and the
white people must do all within
their power to stamp out tuberculo-
sis among the negroes, not only as
a matter of protection to them
selves, but as matter of duty to
the negroes. who need our assist
ance.
While the last complete statistics
upon the facilities in the Southern
and Southwestern states indicated
that there were only S,757 beds in
sanatoria established for the treat
ment of tuberculosis in these states,
ar only one bed for every sixty
persons afflicted with the malady,
some progress has been made in
that direction since the former fig
ures were compiled.
National, state, county and city
health agencies are cooperating
in the war upon tuberculosis, ami
the national, state, and local tuber-
cnIosis associations are accomplish
ing a valuable work in this direc-
ton. But when a survey of the sit
nation is made and the vast need
for prompt action all along the line
Is realized, it is seen there is room
for still other agencies in helping
the hundreds of thousands OF per
maladC and in aiding to disseminate
information that will enable other
people TO resist the peril of tuber-
culosis by proper methods OF Hv-
ing, thus bringing their bodies to
such states OF health that they viii
be able to throw off any of the
deadly germs that might find tenn.
porary lodgment in their systems.
It was after a careful survey OF
the situation by representatives OF
the Southern Baptist Convention
and a realization Of the appalling
need for larger facilities for com bat
ing tuberculosis. that this body de-
teruained at one Of its recent ses-
s.ors 20 establish a sanatorium for
the treatment OF tuberculosis and
- He