Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-11-23
"In This Sign
A Story cf the Crusade of the Double
Barred Cross

| When Dir. Edward Livingston Trud-
eau discovered in the, early sos that
tuberculosis could be cured by the ap
plcation of the principles of righr
living with rest, fresh air ard good
| food, the American crusade Of the
double barred cross was launched. The
crusade was without an emblem unit!
in 1905, after the National Tuber-
culosis Association had been formed,
the double~harrcd cross, the, symbol
Of international warfare against the
White Plague, was adpted as the
| sign under which the American cru
SADIE should be carried on. In this
sign" he fight against t.he"culos::;
IN the United States is being wag"d
and ''in this sign the leaders in the
fight believe that this disease. which
today takes greater toll in death
ard sickness than any other single
disease in America, will be conquered
The stcry of the American crusade of
the doublc-barred cross "a organized
under the leadership Of the Nationa!
tuberculosis Association i> interest
ing.
From small beginnings the cam
Da@n against tuberculosis III the
United States has developed in the
last fifteen years 10 one Of the strong
est and best organized social and
public health movements IN the world.
The National Tuberculosis ASsoci.
ion and its affiliated agencies, 50
prominent European authorities say.
j. today recognized as model for
organization and efficiency every
where.
For those who desire The story IN
a nutshell. the tuberculosis campaign
IN the United States may he ep;tomiz
eI in three paragraphs.
/. The death rate from tubcrcu
cs;s has fa len s:nce 1904 frcm ovcs
200 per 100000 population = up
proxmate!y ll5 per 100000. decline
Of about 81 cent as cortraS:cd with
much smaller dcc!:Ge IN the genera!
death rate in the same period.
2. THIS decline IN the death !atc
computed in terms of lives means 4
saving Of Approximately $4,000 lives
u wear in the United States alone.
3. In 1904, when the National Tuhec
culoSis Association was organized,
there was only 4 handful Of agencies
concerned with the preventive move
mcnt agains. this disease. The entire
expenditure of all agencies of this
character was less than 100000 .
year. Today there are over 100
such associations and the annual c%-
pcditurc Of these preventive organ-
cations IS over $I,00000o, Will" The
expenditure Of public a@enc;nS cH-
aged largely in The treatmen: of
tuberculosis aggregat" Sover 100000
OG0 annually.
The need for tuberculosis cam
aa;gn in the United States. as le:! by
The National tuberculosis Asscc:a
ticn. may be v:>ua'ized thus:
There are, according 70 tn" 3-s.
estimates, million active eases o!
tuberculosis in he United S:a:cs with
an annual death toll! CT approximate
ly 10000.
There are at least another N; Iio'
inactive. arrested or latent cases Ct
tuberculosis.
From 20 per cen. % % per cent Of
the population is infected with The
germs CT he disease.
The problem that the tuberculosis
movement seeks 20 solve is three
fold one:
First. to provide care and treat
mcnt for those who have ii" disease.
Second, to prevent these who ave
infected with it from breaking down
with active tuberculosis.
Third. to ccntrol the spread Of IN
fcct;on frcm those who have / t.