Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-04
TUBERCULOSIS
PATIENTS ARE
STATE CHARGES
New Mexico No Longer Able
to Care for INDECENT Health
Seekers.
GET WELL AT HOME

EnaL at last an eastern organization has
started a campaign Of education among
tuberculous individuals for the purpose
of preventing the extensive migration to
the West that is proving so disastrous
to many"
The local tuberculosis association has
begun an educational campaign to inhu-
eIee Marion County citizens, who are not
sufficiently supplied with funds for a
long vacation" in other States, to re-
main at home and get well in Indiana"
G.. Z. Luckett, chief of the division Of
preventable diseases Of the New Mexico
department of health, said in letter re-
eeived recently that:
STATE OVERCROWDED
WITH SICK.
sour State is seriously overcrowded
with INDECENT tuberculosis patients, so
that the problem of caring for them has
become an extremely serious one.
The population Of this state is only
900, and a large portion of this num-
Der is made up Of native Spanish-sp eak-
ing persons Of very small means. There
Is no community in the state that is
financially able to bear the burden OF
the INDECENT tuberculous, at present Our
largest city, Albuquerque, with & pOpu-
IatiOn Of q, 1000, is under a constant strain
from the demands made upon it by such
persons. The Director Of Charities in
that city tells me that he has from ten
to fifteen penniless tUberculOus call up
on him every day. With q fund of FIVE
or six thousand dollars, he can do very
little for these unfortunate persons. In
cidentalIy, 1 would suggest that you
write to him for details Of his work. He
is Rabbi Hoise Bergman, City Hall,
Albuquerque
You asked how you may reciprocate
with US for giving you the Information
which you nesd. The best possible ser
vice you could render this state would
be to carry on a vigorous campaign OF
education, such as you plan, among your
own people, and this would be mutually
beneficial for the reason that a large
number OF lives may be saved by such
q campaign
Replies TO your questions are given,
in so far as we have the information
available:
Il. 1t is impossible TO state any aver
age length of time required for a per-
manent cure in this State, or anywhere
else. So much depends upon the
duration Of the infection, the patients
resistance, and the kind of treatment
which he receives or is willing TO accept.
Our impression is that the majority of
persons who make a good recovery here
are not able TO return TO their homes
without q prompt recurrence Of the
disease In other words, q moderately
advanced case should come here with the
prospect Of staying indefinitely.
49, The climate Of this State is IN
doubtedly beneficial for fastening the
cure OF tuberculosis. However, all such
pa tents wuO come here should be made
IN ny md hot ha Il
Of treatment is needed In New Mexico
as would be required in indiana to attain
the same results This is one fact that
seems to be little understood by the
healthseeker. FOf this reason, anyone
who comes to this State for his health
should have sufficient funds to enable
tim to take 4 complete rest, and to
secure proper medical and nursing care
for at least one year. Many win need
sufficient funds to cover their entire
support for two years or longer.
CONSUMPTIYES
PUBLIC CHARGES.
3. 1T would be impossible for rs TO
estimste, even roughly. tie number Of
migratory consumpCvcs who become pub
lie charges, as this IS something that
comes to our attention only Incidentally
Rabbi Bergman may be able to give you
q little more definite Information on this
point
(. "TuberrulOsis has been reportable
disease in this State for only the last
eighteen months. During this time the
State has had a health department for
the first time Not all cases of tubercu-
Iosts are reported to this office 6y any
means, so hat IL would be impossible
for US to give you the total num,er OF
consumptives coming 70 the State, even
IN the LIST year. Our hgures for 1920
show that go cases were reported, out
side Of those admitted to the Govern
ment hospitals. Part 70 these cases
we're natives OF the state. so that It
would De safe to say that 600 migratory
cases were received during the year at
the lowest figure. As TO the percentages
Of arrested cases or fatal cases and all
those that were returned home we have
absolutely no information. During 1920
there were, however, OF deaths from
tuberculosis in the State.
8. There e very little opportunity for
persons 90 receive employment Ia this
state at present While unemployment is
not go serious here 8 sin some other parts
OF the country, II does exist here to
some extent. Employment suitable for
consumpdyes IS practically not obtain
able, because the fed is already over
crowded.
g Graduates Of Class c medical
schools are not licensed In this state.
Graduates Of other classes OF schools
are licensed upon presentation Of q d.
ploma or & certificate OF nceasUre, in
reciprocating States. The total number
Of physicians practicing n the State
Is approximately four hundred fifty. The
population Of this State Is $50, 900 by
the last census. There IS no medical
school in the State.
-. The State does not provide any
public sanitoriums for the tuberculosis.
There ere small appropriations given to
q few private Institutions for the care
Of residents OF the State.
s. We have no Information as to beds
that may be available for the care of
indigents- For persons who are able
TO pay, there are several excellent pri
waite sanitoriums IN the State, & list o.
which is inelOsed.
20 Since we have been in operation
so short a time, our vital statistics ar,
necessarily imperfect. 1t would be i'm
possible for US to give you an accurate
mortality rate for the State as a whole
she fgJ re which we have for 1920 1
% per 100000 Of the population. NJ
adequate figures on the morbidity rate
are available
40. In a few Of the larger towns, there
are boarding houses which make a spe-
cialty OF caring for ccnsumptives, and
such persons are also received In the
hotels. Our impression is that the ma
jarity of boarding houses and private
homes are not omen to the tubarCulOus -