The Washington times., 1923-04-03
D. Q. oil FROM
TUBERCUL0 S|S
REDUCED
Prevention Associations Cam
paign for Education and
Legislation Brings Results.

4 81
Important among the organiza=
tons IN the District which have for
their object q constructive program
for the betterTnent Of the physical
welI-being and home. life OF the
citizens, Ii the Association for the
Prevention Of Tuberculosis. Estab-
lished primarily for the purpose of
preventing the spread Of consump-
ton and TO bring the disease under
control as far as possible, 1t has,
since 1918 when IL was Incorporated.
carried on an educational and
Legislative campaign the fruits Of
which are clearly shown In statist-
The association Ii j. direct out
growth Of the committee on the
prevention Of consumption of the
Associated Charities, which had
been formed in 1908.
George M. Kober, president; DIR.
Frank p. Reside, treasurer, and
Walter s. Ufford, secretary. The
association is quartered in the
home Of the Modern Health CRU
saders.. 923 H street northwest.
During the past five years the
organization has promoted an
educational campaign by means Of
instruction to patients and the pub
lie, and, in addition, has continually
sought legislation for the control
OF tuberculosis in the District. It's
educational propaganda has been
in the form of health rules,
pamphlets, press bulletins, and
other literature.
Campaign Is Effective.
A study of the steadily diminish
ing death rate from pulmonary
tuberculosis in the District during
the last two decades is sufficient to
show that the educational work of
the tuberculosis association has
been effective. In 1900 there were
492 deaths from pulmonary tuber-
the colored people. At the same
time the death rate among the
white was 1873 per 100000. In 1921
this death rate had been cut to 230
for colored and SO for white, thus
showing a saving of TIA lives, as
Stunning that the death rate of 1900
had continued to prevail in tho Dis
trict A comparison of decreases
in the several States shows that
the District between the years 1910
and 1920 led in the proportionate
reduction of its pulmonary tubercu-
Iosis death rate.
In the early years of the COM
mittee on the prevention OF con-
sumption Of the Associated Charities
the control of the disease was
sought through the establishment
and maintenance OF. a special clinic
for tuberculous patients. Washing
ton at that time and until as re.
Gently as 1918 had no public tuber-
culosis diSpensary. While the estab-
ishment of such q dispensary was
long urged upon Congress it did not
become an actually until the date
mentioned at which time the tuber-
culosis association transferred its
dispensary work and it's staff of
nurses to the city.
Another means of control sought
by the society was the passage of a
compulsory registration law direct
ing that physicians should immedi-
ately report the names and addresses
Of their patients to the health
office thus enabling the health Of
ficer to locate the .foci Of infection,
to fumigate houses where patients
had died, and to take other precau
tlOnATy Hl0LHOuB lot the pFSNGuCIOA
Of the spread of this disease. Mean
time members of the society worked
for the establishment OF municipal
tuberculosis hospital, which opened
it's doors in 1908. Later the society
strongly advocated ordinances to
abolish the common drinking cup in
public places and the use Of the
common towel.
Attention to Children.
The organization recognized that
IL it was to be successful in it's edu-
cational work it must begin with
the children. For this purpose, 1t
placed lecturer in the schools for
q while and some ten years ago
formulated it's Twelve Health
Rules" which were distributed to
the pupils of the public schools.
After being used for purposes of in
struCtion by teachers. these rules