Marion progress., 1949-12-22

seem possible that much consola-
ton may be expected along such
a road that leads to such undesir-
able destination. tuberculosis ranks
first among all diseases as a cause
of death in the age group from Is
to "a. It kills about fifty thousand
Americans every year, which is a
needless waste of life and a terrific
drain on our national economy. A
persons wealth is estimated in
terms of dollars or property he may
possess. With many of of US, our
credit is based on our earning ca
pacity from the daily work we pur-
sue. For the most part our exist
ence is either planned or forced up
on US in terms Of purchasing pow
er. National and personal economy
is based on dollar valuation. Econo-
mic stability is based upon the diff
ference between our receipts and
our expenditures. If we knew the
number of days lost each year from
gainful occupation in the United
States due to tuberculosis, the num-
Der would unbelieveably large. The
following are what l believe to be
conservative estimates showing our
economic loss each year from
deaths caused by tuberculosis.
There are about fifty =, thousand
deaths each year, and practically
all of those people have reached the
wage earning age. Some are dis
abled for year or more before
death, but for the sake of having
some place from which to start cal
culatiing our economic loss, we as
sumo that each person is incapaci-
tated or disabled for a period of
six months before death, and that
each Of the fifty thousand would
earn a minimum of one hundreds
fifty dollars per months for that
period, the loss from wages alone
in the United States would per year
would be As million dollars. An es-
innate of one hundred dollars med
ical bill during the period for each
case that dies would make total
of million dollars. Fifty dollars ex-
penditure for drugs and other sup
plies and necessities for each per-
son 2 million and 5 hundred thous-
and dollars. A 200 burial expense
for each person, 10 million dollars.
The greatest percent of deaths do
occur in persons under forty years
of age, and if so, person at that
age would be expected to have at
least Is years left in which to pur-
sue a gainful occupation, and as
suming that each would earn a min
imum of $50 dollars per month,
this loss in wages would be l bill
lion, 692 million, 427 thousand and
PIG dollars. Now total the economic
oss according to the above itemiz-
I'd estimates and you have, 1 bill
ion, 754 million, 927 thousand, ZIG
1ollars. Assuming that the deaths
are evenly distributed throughout |
all the forty eight states, the eco
nomic loss to North Carolina would
be SO million, $50 thousand, 984
dollars. Enough to operate reas-
onably good school building pro-
gram in the state. These estimates
may be too small, or they may be
exaggerated, but in either event we
must admit that we have huge
problem on our hands that we must
do something about. Our greatest
drew back in the control of tuber-
culosis is, too great percent of US
do not know the basic facts con-
cerned with the diseases and meth
DDS for it's control. I believe we
agree that the two most important
things concerned with the control
of tuberculosis are, education and
case finding. believe if we will
make our educational program at
tractive enough, case finding will
be an immediate reward for our eff
forts. Your tuberculosis association
in Mcdowell county is making an
outstanding contribution in the
control of the disease. Seventy-five
percent of the seal sales remain in
the county, twenty-five per cent are
used for research. The association
operates solely from funds derived
from the seal campaign sales. Those
little seals have earned as promi-
nent place on yule tide letters and
packages as old Santa himself. Pur-
chase all the seals you feel that you
can afford, then ask the members
of the association and your health
officer how the money is being
spent, it will make you glad. Many
mothers and fathers will die of tu-
berculosis during the holiday seas
on, leaving many small children.
Older people have fortified their
lives against the certain shock caus-
od hv the nassinp of loved ono