The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-24
TUBERCULOSIS
VICTIMS LACK
PLACE TO GO
State Has No Institution in
Which Wayne County Suf-
ferers Can Be Housed, De-
clares Auerbach.
SAYS NEED IS GREAT

There is no institution in Indiana
where tuberculosis sufferers can be
housed at the present time, according
to Murray A. Auerbach. executive sec
retary of the Indiana tuberculosis as
sociation, who was in Richmond Sat
urday, comforting with interested cit
iZenS
Mr. Auerbach has canvassed the
state, and said that even the Fort
Wayne tuberculosis hospital is filled,
having 108 patients when he left that
city. Friday.
81 believe a 40 bed hospital should
be the minimum with which Wayne
county should start said Mr.. Auer-
bach | would urge that the manage
ment of the institution be placed in
the hands of competent superinten-
dent, to make it practical and eff
cient
Reported Deaths. =. =.
Reported deaths from tuberculosis
in Wayne county, according TO the
state board of health, have been as
follows: 1916, SO; 1917, 5S; 1918, SO;
1919, So, and 1920, 40. This is but
a conservative estimate of deaths
from that cause" Mr.. Auerbach con-
tinued There are always deaths In
every county which are caused by
tuberculosis, but which are not re-
ported as due to that disease.
Using the scale provided by Prof.
Irving Fisher, we'll known economist
and Yale professor, it costs Wayne
county s24S,000 yearly because of the
presence of the disease. Prof. Fisher
has estimated that for every death
from tuberculosis in, a community, the
community has to pay S1,700. This
does not include the expenses which
may be caused such community by
the necessity of caring for the depend,
ents left by the deceased
AN experiment tried out in Fran
ingham, Mass, which was considered
typical American city, has proved
| that for every individual whose death
is caused by tuberculosis, there are
| at least 10 other persons with the dis
ease in its inactive form.
Large Number Affected
Tuberculosis is primarily a chill
dren's disease. Seventy per cent ol
all children under II years old are
affected with the germ; so per cen
of all children under 16 years old are
affected, and 80 per cent of all chill
dren under u years old are affected
ITO be affected does not necessar
| lily mean that the children have the
| disease; it only shows that without
| the proper care many cases may de
velop.'
| Mr.. Auerbach urged that Wayne
county begin to build her tuberculosis:
hospital at is strategical point ane
know that patients will be sen
/ there. Every county cannot have F.;
hospital, and with all present insti
! tutions filled, it is greatly needed.
Favor Hospital Here
Mr.. Auerbach stated that he hat
| talked with T. B. Kidner, nationally
known tuberculosis authority, WHIT
canvassed the local situation during
the latter part of May, of this year
Both he and Mr.. Kidner favor the
Wayne county hospital because of it!
relative position to other counties.
Il cannot say that 25 beds would
prove practicable" Mr. Auerbach said
"The least that | would recommend
would be 40 beds. At present ther,
practically are no safeguards agains
tuberculosis and little means for car
ing for the sufferers.
Tuberculosis is durable, accordin,
to figures compiled by institution
which have take nthe tuberculosis pat
tents while the disease is still in it
early stages.