The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-10-31
CHRISTMAS SEALS ON SALE FOR TB
 FUND CAMPAIGN
Kiwdnis Sponsors Sale in Business Area : Drive
 Begins Wednesday

The 17th annual sale of Christ mas seals starts in Juneau We'd nesday November l, Mrs. Frances L. Paul, Executive Secretary of the Alaska Tuberculosis Association, an- nounced today
 The Kiwanis Club the sponsor of the sale in the business houses of Juneau, will begin personal solicitation on that date. After the canvass of the business section, the Christmas seals will be mailed to individual contributors. The seals are made available to residents of Alaska at an earlier date than the beginning of the sale in the states because of the greater distances Alaska mail must travel.
 Tuberculosis was the captain of the men of death' at the beginning of the 20th century. With death rate of 194 per 100000 population, it was the first cause of death in this country. In 1949, at the mid term of the same century, the rate had dropped to 26.1 per 100000.
 The primary cause of this enor- nous improvement was the organi- zation in 1904 of the National Tub erculosis Association which mobil- ized the medical profession and the public in nationwide offen- sive against this communicable dis ease This mobilization was financ- ed by the sale of Christmas seals.
 Alaska stands today just about where the nation stood 50 years ago in relation to the tuberculosis problem. A death rate of 176.9 per 100000 population for 1949 has just been released by the Department of Health. The incidence of the dis ease remains about 10 times that of the average in the states and constitutes Alaska's primary health problem.
 Christmas seals have now become established as a tradition in AL aska as well as in the states. The bright little stamp with its double barred cross, the registered trade mark of the National Tuberculosis Association, will soon make its ap- pearance on the backs of our let ters and packages for the 17th sea- son. The question may well be ask ed: What does the Alaska Tubercu- losis Association do with the checks and dollar bills contributed in return for these gaudy bits of colored paper?
 A total of $24,567.99 was spent in Alaska last year by the central of- flee and $3,821.50 by the local com mittees in Is towns. Most of the expenditures made by the local groups were for finding and assistance to the public health nursing programs in their local areas where official funds could not be obtained. As far as pos sible the expenditures of the cen- tral office went to an overall program which would give help to the greatest possible number of patients.
 A survey of the annual report of the Alaska association shows that 62 percent of their expendl- | for 1949 went to the institutions for the care of the Alaskan tuber- culous. The exact figures were $l3,- 337.5O This money supplied mater ials and services which were not obtainable from any official source and were mainly in the field ot cccupational therapy; film rentals, magazines and books, public address systems, salaries of occupational therapists and medical social work CTS and occupational therapy SUD- plies.
 Many patients in the tuberculous wards and hospitals are completely destitute and the Association keeps on deposit with each hospital a sum to be used for the comfort of such patients. The contribution of around $3,O00 made it possible for the Alaska Native Service tc carry a thoracic surgeon on the staff of Mt. Edgecumbe.
 Most difficult to define in tang