The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-12
Kansas Must Nurse Her Men
Who Have Tuberculosis.
VIII Come for Treatment Until
1925, Doctor LerrigO Says.
one HOSPITAL is OVERLOADED
Legislature Too Busy Caring
for Rah- Rah Boys and Girls.
Il b. Meant Rejection of 1876
kanSans in the Army.

tuberculosis meant rejection of
1878 Kansans for war service, accord
ing to facts and figures sent to Lieut..
Gov. Charles S. Huffman and mem
bers of the state legislature by DIR. c.
III, sLerrigo, executive secretary of the
Kansas state tuberculosis association.
The letter outlines some OF the work
and responsibility of the big health
organization and declares the soldiers
who contracted the dread disease 1u--
ing early training days, will continue
to present themselves for treatment
until 1925.
If Kansas is to meet the great health
problem, more space must be provided
at the state sanatorium at Norton. The
state Institution at Norton now. has
facilities for care of twenty-seyen SOL
diers suffering from tuberculosis. ST.
Margaret's hospital in Kansas CITY,
Kan, cares for twenty-five soldiers
Building up of the Norton hospital
has been generally overlooked by the
Kansas legislature during recent ses-
sfons. The rah rah boys and girls sent
their lobby from the state schools. the
big state departments exerted their
own influence and won appropriations
But the white plague victims were not
present and they received only such as
the legislature desired to give at the
end of a session in which economy
had been practiced for the succeeding
campaign by passing state responsible
ties to the succeeding legislature.
Doctor Lerrigo's Statement.
Doctor Lerrigo in his statement of
conditions said:
six hundred seventy-nine soldiers or
the United States army who enlisted
in Kansas were discharged on account
of tuberculosis, and 996 were rejected
for that cause by the examining
boards when they presented them
selves for admission.
About one-third of all the tubercu-
a present
in need of hospital or sanatorium care.
and with such care may be restored
to their families and to their respon-
sibilities as citizens. The state or
Kansas does not at present nave any
institution, either sanatorium or nos
pital, conducted by the federal gov
eminent for the relief and cure of ex-
service men, Provision is at present
made for caring for twenty-seven tu-
berculous soldiers at the state sana-
torium at Norton and twenty-five at
st. Margaret's hospital, Kansas City,
Kan.
Those who have experience with the
treatment of tuberculosis know that
eventually almost all of the men dis
charged or rejected will need some
form of special care in order that they
may be restored to health. There are
very urgent reasons why these Kansas
men should be treated in their own
state, perhaps the chief being mat
treatment somewhere within reach OF
home and are more likely to be con-
tented to stay sufficient length OF
time under care to give them the
proper balance of health thar will enc
able them to go back to their duties
permanently restored.
The old idea that the treatment of
tuberculosis could only be carried on
successfully in some southern or Tar
western state has long been exploded.
frTr. oil Of fEA nj
States Public Health service has said.
"rhe belief which prevailed years ago
in the specific virtues of certain ell
mates. particularly that of the aria
southwest. is now known to have been
wrong" We believe that there is no
better air than Kansas air and that
Kansas soldiers will have their best
chance forl recovery by being treated
in their own state.
The Langley bill appropriating ten
million dollars for new hospitals for
ex-soldiers has been reported unanl-
rnously by the house rules committee
for consideration. If this or any other
bill should make possible appropria-
tons for new hospitals or sanatoria,
it is extremely desirable that at least
one of these, with minimum capacity
of 200 beds, should be erected, and
maintained in the state of Kansas.
1t is estimated that soldiers who con-
tracted tuberculosis in its beginning
stage in their army service will con-
tinue to present themselves for treat
ment at least until 1925. We do not
know the total number of Kansas sol
diers now needing treatment or the
total number now receiving it in care
of the United States Public Health
service, but we do know that the en-
tire number treated in Kansas is limit
ed to forty-nine, and that there are
no accommodations in this state at
present for any increase in that num-
her