The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1956-12-20
Health Report -
X-Rays Find tuberculosis Cases

| 0IGdt p1OSlCSO llclo OS(li AiAoNN
in the fight against tuberculosis
With modern drugs and surgery,
our hospitals and doctors are sue
cessfully treating cases of tuber-
culosis that only 10 years ago
would have been called hopeless
Rev. R. D. Littleton, President of
the Forrest County tuberculosis
Association reported today.
Through wide spread education
by the schools and organizations
such as the Forrest County Tu-
berculosis Association and health
department, people have learned
much about how to protect their
health, he continued.
Chest X-ray has proved a great
boon to early discovery of tuber-
culoSis. The health department,
with the aid of the local TB asso-
citation, has taken the X-ray into
the highways and by ways of our
county to search out the unknown
cases of tuberculosis.
Thirty three cases of TB have
been discovered this year in For
rest County's chest X-ray pro-
gram. There are % cases from the
county being treated in the Sana-
forum at Magee. Under supervis
ed home care there are II tuber-
culosis patients. The cost of home
treatment per patient per month
for drugs is $1,000. There are ap-
proximately 10 others who need
home treatment but refuse to CO.
operate. According to DR.. B. d.
| Blaclwelder, Health Officer of
the Forrest County Health De-
partment estimated that as many
as Al persons afflicted with tu-
berculosis may be walking the
streets in Forrest County, spread
ing the disease to healthy per-
sons with whom they associate.
To date total of 80 new cases
of tuberculosis was reported in
1885. The health department has
a record Of ga cases in the coun-
ty. DR.. Blackwelder estimates
there are a number of persons
who do not know they have the
disease, going about our commu-
nifty spreading the germs. You
cannot be complacent about TB.
You cannot shrug it off because
f your economic status or race.
Here at the health department
we see how often it strikes an
unsuspecting family.
One of the many uses to which
| Christmas Seal Sales funds are
put in this County is in service
to help the county's tuberculosis
patients adjust to hospital life and
prepare for return to community
life. Conducted by the Forrest
County tuberculosis Association
to raise funds for the 1856 tuber-
culosis control program, the
Christmas Seal Sale opened No
vember Is and will continue
through December 31st.
Rehabilitation of the tubercu
| lous is continuing process which
| begins at the time of diagnosis.
1t helps the patient and his fam
lily accept the idea of treatment
and plan for his entering the hos
pital. It helps him adjust to life
in the hospital when he first en-
ters.
1t helps the patient plan his fu
ture and prepare for his return
home, ready to assume his place
in the community, when he re-
ceives his medical discharge from
the hospital
The associations major prof.
ects, however, are health educa-
, ton and case finding programs,
and contributes to medical and So
cial research on tuberculosis.
These activities are made possible
solely through the sale of Christ
mas Seals.
Ninety-four cents of every dol
lar remains with the state and
county organizations and only six
cents goes to the National Asso-
citation for research. Local people
. operate your TB Association and
spend your money to fight TB
here in Forrest County. They are
your neighbors and friends. When
: you are dissatisfied with the Job
they are doing, you can tell them
, about it. When you are satisfied
they never are-you can tell
them that too, and support them
j by buying Seals and cooperating
with their year round tuberculosis
control programs.
j Officers of the Association are:
) Rev. r. D. Littleton, President:
| Mrs. Rhea Smith Cpcretorv ard