p. 22 | The International Congress on Tuberculosis

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 5, 1908

The International Congress on Tuberculosis

By W. A. R.

The statistics furnished by the congress on tuberculosis were so striking and so significant that it seems to me important our people should understand the ravages of this disease, and awake to the necessity of engaging actively in a campaign against it. The Census Bureau of the United States is constantly compiling statistics in regard to this and other causes of death in this country. This work has not as yet been thoroughly organized in all the States, owing to the inability to secure the co-operation of all State authorities. Steady progress, however, has been made in this direction since its inception twenty-eight years ago. At present there are fifteen States which have laws enforcing adequate registration. These are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Indiana, California, Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. The area under such registration includes 41,758,037 of the population of the United States, being 48.8 per cent.

In his letter accepting the presidency of the International Congress on Tuberculosis, President Roosevelt referred to the loss of two hundred thousand lives a year in our country from this cause. The agitation over this question the past few years has done wonders in lessening the death-rate. The following is the death-rate per 100,000 population in 1855 and in 1906 respectively:—

Massachusetts, 1855 ..........500 Massachusetts, 1905 ..........210 England and Wales, 1855 .....370 England and Wales, 1905 .....170

The comparison of the ravages of tuberculosis per 100,000 population in the country and city localities (this comparison was made in 1900 and in 1890):—

City, 1890 ..................300 Country, 1890 .................180 City, 1900 ...................200 Country, 1900 ................120

Another statement is made of the comparison of tuberculosis per 100,000 among male and female inhabitants in 1900:—

Male, city ..................230 Female, city ................180 Male, country ...............120 Female, country .............140

Here is a comparison between the Indian, colored, and white races in deaths from tuberculosis for each 100,000 of the population:—

Indian ......................506 Colored .....................485 White .......................173

The number of deaths for each 100,000 between the ages of fifteen and forty-four, and the effect of conjugal relation, are illustrated by this outline:—

Males, single ...............300 Females, single .............220 Males, married ..............200 Females, married ............240 Males, widowed ..............660 Females, widowed ............350

According to occupation, here are a few statements of deaths among persons over ten years of age, to 100,000 of population, in 1900:—

Marble and stone cutters ...540 Printers ....................435 Bookbinders, etc. ...........398 Musicians and teachers ......349 All occupied males ..........236 All occupied females ........172 Physicians and surgeons .....168 School-teachers .............144 Clergymen ...................123 Bankers and officials ........92 Nurses ......................100

The following statistics are given by the tubercular infirmary of the Metropolitan Hospital of New York. Of 14,372 patients admitted, the sexes were represented thus:—

Men ................11,734, or 82% Women ...............2,683, or 18%

Of 9,903 cases classified by ages, the very large proportion were from those in the most useful ages in life:—

From 20 to 50 years .......68% All other ages .............31%

We often excuse the fearful death-rate from tuberculosis on the ground that it occurs mostly among the foreign element in our large cities. The following outline by nationalities shows the fallacy of this belief. This is based on the United States Census of 1900. Every other line represents the number of tuberculosis cases among 13,610 people, and the intermediate lines represent the percentage of people of the named nationality in this number:—

Natives of U. S. ....5,832, or 42% Native born .................23% Irish ..............2,978, or 21% Natives of Ireland ..........20% Germans ...........1,109, or 8% German born ..................22% Italians .............896, or 6% Italian born ..................6% English ..............346, or 2½% Natives of England ............4%

A comparison of the death-rate from various diseases, as reported by the Bureau of Statistics, is here represented:—

Tuberculosis ...............11.2% Pneumonia ...................9.8% Heart-disease ...............8.6% Violence ....................7.6% Intestinal ..................7.1% Kidney ......................6.4% Apoplexy ....................4.6% Cancer ......................4.4% All other causes ...........40.3%

Next week we hope to give some observations from the pathological department of the exhibit. W. A. R.