Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-06
$4,000 ACTIVE CASES OF
TUBERCULOSIS IN STATE
Existence of So Many Cases Of
Infectious Disease Real
Menace.
DEATH RATE CUT Is FER GENT
Economic Loss to Virginia In Seven
y Year Period From Grent White
Plague II Declared to Have Been
2106, 900. 900.

That there are approximately b.
coo persons In Virginia today SUI
fering from active tuberculosis. and
that this urge number OF cases OF an
infectious disease constitutes a real
menace TO the Commonwealth. Is the
conclusion reached by the tubercu-
losis committee appointed by the
Legislature Of 1920" said j. Sinclair
Brown. of Roanoke. chairman. in an
interview today.
Mr.. Brown stated that an idea OF
tho losses due to tuberculosis might
DO CLEANED from tho fact that. al
though 1920 showed the lowest tu-
berculosis death rate. there were In
chat year two and one-half times as
many deaths from that disease alone
as there were from the next seven
most dangerous Infectious diBeases.
Bmallpox. diphthcria. measles. whoop-
Ing cough. scarlet fever. malaria and
typhoid fever combined. An econo-
mic paper translated the deaths from
tuberculosis during tho seven-y year
period into dollars and cents. Al n
conservative estimate, the total
reached to $4,000. 900.
Report Most Comprehensive.
Mr.. Brown stated that the report
of tho committee was rapidly reach
ing completion. and would be ready
to transmit to the General Assembly
when II convenes next January.
Every available source Of informa-
lion was used In tho preparation o:
the report. which il comprehensive.
record OF findings. The committee
aht at each OF the snnatoria. inter-
viewed the stan OF each. consulted
exports and others interested. ex-
amincd morbidity and mortality ia
bics. and had prepared for 1t sta
tlsticai and economic papers.
Studies OF the amount; OF tuher-
culosIs In the general population
were made from the morbidity sta
t!stics and from reports of ncld
clinics conducted by the State Board
of Health. In cooperation with &c
Virginia Tubercrlos.n Association
Mr. Brown sad that the evidence had
convinced the committee that there
were probably $4,000 tubcrruious per-
IONS I'm the state today. Better
registration OF cases s In the
before any effective plan OF control
can be established. In 1915. for each
death there were about two cases re-
ported; In 1920 cases Of illness from
tuberculosis exceeded death records
by only nine. In one county In the
state, pcrsistent clinic work has
demonstrated the existence OF seven
cases for each annual death.
Death Rate Cut IS Per Cent.
While VirBinia's death rate re-
mnins higher than TINT of several
of the other States" said Mr. Brown.
"ncverthelees, we are glad to be
able 10 show that the death rate
haB been cut IS per cent In the Ave
years since the first commission OF
1915 handed In It's report and recon-
mendations. At that time sana
, forum for negro consumptives Was
Established and nppro prIations made
to permit the state Board OF Health
TO Intensity the educational cam
pnign. In 1918 second sanatorium
was built for white patients The
increase in tho bed capacity n the
sanatoria and the enlarged cam
paign OF propaganda should certainly
share with the general health cam
paign the honor OF saving the I03
lives which the lowered death rate ac-
tually represented in 1920
Besides Mr. Brown, the committee
has the following members: DR.. C.
u. Gravatt and julien Gum. from
the Senate. and John Nottingham and
Lemuel Smith, from the House.