The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-03-30
DIVINE ITO SPEAK
] OF TUBERCULOSIS
WORK IN COUNTY
Mrs. Pierce Recounts His.
tory OF Anti Tubercu-j
losis Activity Here

tftaf h a----~----->---s s 5t5.r 4
DR.. w. r. Hendrix, pastor of High
lands Methodist church, will lecture
Sunday evening on. tuberculosis work,
and a citytwide call has been issued BY
i the Alabama Tuberculosis association
for all residents of birmingham to at
tend the lecturer Special interest is
being taken now; in tuberculosis work
because ground will be broken soon
for the new tuberculosis hospital in
Shades valley, which has been the. aim
Of the tuberculosis association workers
since their Organization several years
ago.
In the accompanying interview Mrs.
III. p. Pierce, president of the Alabama
tuberculosis association, reviews the
work that has been accomplished, and
tells some of the future plans Of the
association.
Reviewing the history. of the, state
association, she says: tt- :
The fight was first started, as are
many statewide movements, in Jeffer-
son county. And it, is in this county
that the most concrete results have
been attained. The voluntary organi-
zation, the Anti-T Tuberculosis Associa-
tion Of jefferson County, started first
through the sale of Christmas seals.
And so every year for 10 years the
people of Birmingham and this county
bought the little stickers gladly and
willingly and put them on all their
Christmas mail.
Fresh Air Camp
Long ago; the association started
temporary fresh air camp over Red
mountain, with an idea of trying to
treat at least a part Of the county's
sufferers. This camp was never able
to meet the demands upon it. ~
But through the little camp over
the mountain, which was increased in
size almost every year, and through the
earnest, conscientious work Of those
who had it in charge, the situation
gradually became better known to all
our citizens, and so the general inter
est IN the work grew until in 1920 the
citizens of Birmingham and Jefferson
county, contributed, through the efforts
of the allied armies organization, a total
Of more than $4,000 to. the work. The
success of this campaign was such as to
arouse the people to the point of de-
manding larger and better facilities for
their ailing brothers, than could be
given in any fresh air camp. y
Then started the movement, headed
by r. A. Brown, chairman, for 4 real
hospital, and we are about to realize
our dreams in this, regard, for soon
ground will be broken in Shades valley
for modern hospital for the treat.
ment of these unfortunates, built along
modern lines and with the best avail
able scientific thought in its planning.
This hospital will be supported Jointly
by the city and county. -
Death Rate Decrease
During all this fight in this rcoun-
,ty, the one thing that seems to me most
worth while to have come out of it,
Is the decrease in the death rate from
tuberculosis death rate TODAY lis
only about one third what it was when
the movement was started. And that il
by no means because of the treatment
Of the few score of, patients in the
3 fresh air camp. Some good WIS accom-
plished in that way, of course, but the
larger good came from the educational
work the association carried OnF
teaching the people how to look out for
themselves and especially in teaching
\ the modern health crusade work in the
: schools of Birmingham and Jefferson
county.
''The first real statewide work under
taken was in the fall of 1917, when the
temporary state Organization started
the sale of, seals through the teachers
Of the state. State, city and county
superintendents, high school and grade
teachers, all lent their hearty assist
anee, even this first time, and the re-
suit was that additional thousands Of
persons over the state became familiar
with, the fight against tuberculosis.
Each year more persons help in the
work and more widespread becomes the
educational work Sometimes the work
is misunderstood and we are blamed
because we cannot provide treatment
for all those who are suffering with
the disease. But the funds needed for
that would be- staggering to state like
Alabama. - p.
Clubs Aid Work +.t7
THE women's clubs, local, city and
county tuberculosis organizations, mems
civic clubs, individuals everywhere have
taken UP the work and helped push it
along. -, .s..
among the forces that have been in
valuable in the last few years are the
state and county health units. Today
our work is being carried on in the
closest cooperation with the state
board of health and our field secretary
is working under their supervision.
Every county that has a full-tirne health
unit is giving our organization the best
help and we are going forward rapidly.
I'm 40 counties Of Alabama, some
kind of tuberculosis work is being done
this year and this is all work of the
kind that is approved by the national
association and by the state association.
Mobile county was the first in the state
to build a modern sanatorium which,
though small, is modern and doing fine
work. In EtOwah and Montgomery
counties fresh air camps are now in OPP
Grafton and Montgomery is planning a
real sanatoriHm.F