The Omaha guide., 1947-02-01
Edgar Mayors Warns Of tuberculosis Rise With High food Costs

survey indicated. After
the war, when per capita consump-
ton of these products increased
the mortality rate fell to 1873, ex-
actly the 1914 level"
While the United States did not
suffer from a significant rise in
tuberculosis following World War
I, it was the exception to the gen
eral world situation. However"
DR.. Mayer emphasized. "our re-
port does show that the rise III
the American tuberculosis deatl
rate in 1885 may well have been
caused by the depression. While
the United States Jared well after
the first World War and during
the recent holocaust, we may not
be nearly as lucky now. when food
prices have risen sc abruptly.
There has been a recent in
crease in tuberculosis incidence in
the United States, particularly
among the .colored population, es-
pecially among younger women"
DR.. Mayors report continued.
This may be attributable, accord
ing to authoritative medical opin-
ion. in part, to the greater en-
ployment of women in war plants
during hostilities. The general re-
suit from World War II in New
York City is that while the tuber-
culosis death rate was formerly
declining two or three points an
nually, it came down a total of
only three points for the entire
five-year war period of 1910 to
1914. from 40 to 46 per 100000.
The death rate was 40.8 per 100,-
900 for the entire United States
The hospitals report on the
correlation between high cost OF
food and tuberculosis deaths does
not apply to the hospitals own
situation, where well balanced
meals are made available to all
patients regardless OF cost, but its
findings do apply to the circum-
stances of the average American
family. which does not buy food
in wholesale quantities but must
purchase at prevailing retail prices,
according to DR.. Mayer.
The report describes how, when
last June the hospital was unable
to secure sufficient meat for its
needs, special preparations rich in
protein were made in the diet kit
chen to supplement the patients
nourishment. These preparations
followed the pattern used by the
Army Medical Corps in treating
victims of Reimbursement who
were rescued from Axis prison and
concentration camps. Even when
the supply Of meat improved,
ira proteins continued to be given
to the patients of the National
Jewish hospital.
To supply the necessary amount
of protein would n~eceSsitate con-
sumption of tremendous quantities
of meat and eggs, quantities larg-
er than human beings a eat in
their normal diet. Extra nourish-
ment in the form of drinks made
from powdered skim milk, gelatin.
egg whites, sugar and chocolate,
in quantities Of one pint per per-
son per day, are given each pa
tient. These drinks give each in
dividual about AZ grams of pro-
tein, bringing total protein intake
to 120 grams daily. For those who
cannot digest who protein, amino
acid breakdown products are be-
ing given to improve their gener-
al appetite and we'll being.
The success of this program is
apparent, DR.. Mayer pointed out
in the report. In the cases Of many
patients, body weight has substan-
tally increased, and the results
of the program Arc seen in a
sense of improved general health
in the hospitals patients.
The suggestion is made that il
this type of supplementary pro-
tein drink, made of dried skim
milk which is both obtainable and
inexpensive. were made available
to poor families by the Federal
government or social agencies, a
future increase in the inci6ence of
tuberculosis might be avoided.
In his general conclusions, DR..
Mayer stated that food prices for
the United States as a whole, while
declining to a small degree in re-
cesnt weeks, nevertheless set a
new all-time high as late as Nov
ember Is. according to the u. S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The
United States Department of Agri-
culture, he added, announced as
late as December Is, 1916 that:
Retail food prizes have risen fast
or in the last four months th5n
in any comparable period during
the 33 years since records have
been kept" Prices of all foods
combined October, 1946) were
81 percent higher than in 1940."
The conclusions to be drawn
from his own report. according to
DR.. Mayer, are as follows:
while we are not predicting
disaster from this study of food
costs and the incidence of tuber-
culosis, we must recognize that
any effect of the current infla-
tionary trend upon the general
public health of this nation will
not be improved for some time.
When proof comes, it will then
be too late to do anything about
it,"