The Raymer enterprise., 1920-10-21
Measures Are Needed
Against tuberculosis
6scrstary Of State Health Board
Says Colorado Has About
$4,000 Active Gases.

The dme Aas come for Colorado to
take adequate measures to meet and
control its peculiarly Individual prob
lem Of tpbsfculosis, according to DR..
RI. Drih1kater, ssgtetksy Of the
State Board OF Health. Dr. Drink
wAt6f poinssdi sut the sesso6snsss Of
the matter In an interview recently
when be declared that the latest fig
urss compilediby his board show that
therS were 2,06O deaths from tubercu-
losis alone In Colorado last year. He
estimates the ,number Of active cases
Il tuberculosisN in this state today to
bs approximately 1900 with about
the same number Of inactive cases.
"The tuberculosis problem In Colo.
rado." said DR.. Drlnkwater, has GER
tain peculiar features distinctly Its
own. We know that great many
persons suffering from tuberculosis
come to this state every year because
Of IT. wonderful climate and altitude.
Just how many cases from other sec
tlons Of the country are added to
those developed here we DO not know
definitely, although the Colorado Tu.
bsrcuosis Association, as . part of
the splendid work It Is doing, Is now
making a survey of the INDECENT mi
gratory cases Of tuber0elosis which
have come within the vlsw Of instltu-
tions in Denver, Colorado Springs and
Grand Junction. The result Of this
survey will give US definite idea Of
the number Of persons who come from
other states In the hope Of regaining
their health land then drift to one Of
these cities, where eventually their
funds fail them and they turn to char
table institutions for help.
"AAny Of these Nunfortunates, who
nisAt havea been saved II they had
stayed at home and secured admission
to q hospital there, come to Colorado
without fuRds and ske out an exist
ancs until q final breakdown compels
them to come for treatment to some
public, Institution Only too often they
are In such condition that they can
not be- returned to their homes, nor Is
there any hope for them when they are
In that stage. There are from 80 to 90
Of such cases In the Denver County
Hospital at all tines I Iiremembsr that
one night whsn I happened to be at
the County hospital, seven of these un-
fortunates Ned.
"Dvsry ole Of thsss persons who ID
unable 70 pay for trsatn1Ant and who
Is avodingsths welfare inaitutions for
fear that, b nay be sent back to his
home In some other state Il source
Of Infection and adds to the increase
Of the idissass here. / belAsvs that II
Colorsdo had N adequate system Of
reporting thsss INDECENT, or nearly In
digent cssses, and . definite plan Of
rstuaingI them to thsir places Of orr
gin, the lives. Of many Of them might
be prolonged and the state saved at
least $2sO0e, 900 year.
General ,sdscation Of the public in
regard to fthe nature Of tuberculosis
and the rules of Nglenic living where
by/lts spread imay be checked is neces-
sary. Fortunately there IL vigorous,
Effective work done along this line by
the Colorado Tuberculosis Association,
ajprivate organization Of public-spirit-
Cd men and women, who have been
educating people throughout the state
by means Of public health nursing
service, clinics, school examinations
and the introduction Of the Modern
Health Crusade into the schools of 30
counties. When the time comes that
the State Board of Health is in a po-
sition to- take ,up anti-tuberculosls
work I'M the way 1t should, we shall
be abl1 to give the Colorado Tubereu-
IosA pseciation d., cooperation It
dssefs u its present, slnsle-handed
''s ssa'h't the dis 'a''s'
n " '....