Evening star., 1937-11-23
SEAL SALE DRIVE
OPENS SNEWF|GHT
ON TUBERCULOSIS
600 Doomed to Die in Cap
itaI in 1888, Says As
sociation Officer.
HIGH DEATH RATE
IN DISTRICT CITED
Need Of Checking Disease Among
Colored Population Empha.
sized at Health Congress.

More than 800 persons will be killed
by tuberculosis in the District during
1888, while over 5000 others, many Of
them children, will suffer from the
dread disease
DR.. c. st. c. Guild, fed secretary
Of the National tuberculosis Associa-
ton, made this prediction last night
at the launching of the annual sale
OF Christmas seals to raise funds for
financing the health services of the
District tuberculosis Association. 1t
is hoped $4,000, will be obtained
through this medium The meeting,
held in the auditorium of the United
States Public Health Service Building,
| likewise served as a health congress
and opened a new public crusade di-
rected against the spread of the dis
ease in Washington.
|. I'VE have had it with us for long
time" DR.. Guild said in referring to
tuberculosis. land familiarity has bred
contempt. Yet its victims will be Just
as dead as If they had died of new
and more newsworthy epidemic
$4,000 Over U. S. Doomed.
Today tuberculosis shadows the lives
| OF more than 100000 young men and
women between the ages of IS and
25 in the United States, it was revealed.
OF this number it is estimated that
approximately 10000 will die, while
hundreds of others will be affected by
the communicable disease.
ho
the unenviable distinction of having
the third highest death rate from tu-
| berculosis of the 40 American cities
| whose statistics are analyZed yearly"
DR.. Guild declared. Furthermore,
he added "this rate represents an in.
crease of per cent over the preced.
ing year"
The speaker stressed the need OF
aiding the city's colored population in
f1ghting the disease, saying colored
people constitute over ne-quarter OF
the city's population. yet they provide
more than two-thirds of the deaths
from tuberculosis" The death rate
among these people. he said. is more
than five times as high as the white
Their low economic status, with all its
associated difficulties, such as poo,
housing and malnutrition, was cited
by DR.. Guild as one of the chief rea.
sons for this condition.
! More Must Be Done.
| Pointing to the noteworthy prog.
ress" made in this fight during ths
past four years. DR.. Guild said he
nevertheless was sure that District
Health Officer George C. Rutland, a
guest at the meeting, and the directors
OF the District tuberculosis Associa-
ton, will agree that much remains
to be done if tuberculosis control in
the District is to be really effective"
The speaker pointed out a recent
paper by DR.. Rutland in which it was
stated only 20 per cent of District
cases were diagnosed in the minimal
stage, while "a per cent of the white
and 46 per cent of the colored cases
were far advanced.
Additional clinic service, nursing
service and more interest on the part
OF the medical profession is needed,
DR.. Gull said. adding that to accom-
plish this more money is necessary.
washington can well afford an
adequate tuberculosis control pro-
gram," DR.. Guild said in conclusion.
but when tuberculosis deaths alone
represent an economic loss of over
S3,000000 a year, one wonders how
washington can afford the present
admittedly inadequate measures"
Senator Arthur Capper, Republican.
OF Kansas, and former chairman OF
the District Committee, guest at the
meeting, pledged his support of a
health program in that body.
Reduction Goal Set Up.
Mrs. Ernest R. Grant of the District
tuberculosis Association, who presided
at the session, pointed out that in
1903 the death rate here was 26O
persons for every 100000 population.
while in 1896 there were only lot
deaths per 100000. To show the i'm
provement, Mrs. Grant said that at
the 1903 ratio there would have been
1913 deaths in 1886. She said it was
the aim Of the association to reduce
the number of deaths in the next five
years to so for every 100000 persons.
DR.. j. A. Myers of Minneapolis, pres
1dent OF the National tuberculosis
Association, in an illustrated talk,
showed the vast progress made in the
fight against tuberculosis over a period
| Of years
Approximately 95 per cent Of the
children of the country were contami-
mated by tuberculosis a quarter of a
century ago. he said, while today the
condition has been reversed because
of an intense educational campaign.
! DR.. Myers said part of the National
program was to isolate communicable
cases OF tuberculosis and to examine
educators to prevent any possible
spread of the germs.
| Persons may have tuberculosis over
long periods and never show any signs
Of 1t, DR.. Myers said. This fact makes
1t q very difficult job to check. Tuber-
culos1s should be caught in the earliest
possible stages, he added.
| DR.. Myers displayed pictures show.
ing the effects Of tuberculosis, particu-
larly to the lungs, and concluded with
the remark that 1t was the plan of
his association to see that the disease
was reduced to one Of minor signifi-
| canoe in the future.
DR.. James g. Townsend, president
OF the local organization, also spoke,
pointing out the progress made in
fighting tuberculosis in the District.
He cited the need for an addition to
Freedmen's Hospital wherein 12O tu.
berculosis patients could be treated.
This would enable students at Howard
University to watch the progress Of
such cases and better learn to fight It,
he said. DR.. Townsend pointed out that
so per cent Of all the colored doctors
in the United States were graduated