Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

296 THE CHARLOTTE- MEDICAL JOURNAL
iivas to \.he sadXuue oi over iv/fo/'t-jery sfven lencc of pulmonary tuberculosis consiituUs a i;
of the deaths that occur in the entire worlds national, a racial, and a social problem, \
from all causes including- war, famine, pes- comparable to which none other is wortyef |i
tilence and alcohol. consideration. It has been carefully esti- ||
The every day experience of patholo- mated that over 1,500,000 people are an- i
gists, connected with our leading scientific nually incapacitated for work in the United ;(
schools and institutes, in the recognition of States on account of this one affliction. ;|
healed and unsuspected lesions in the lungs One hundred and fifty thousand is a low j
and othdr parts of the body, is sufficient estimate of the number of lives directly ter- j
evidence to demonstrate the wide preva- minated in the United States each year by J
lence of non-active infections as v^'ell as tuberculosis. ';,
the inherent powers of individual resist- The average age at the time of death is j
ance. computed at thirty-five years, enforcing an :i
Statistical observations concerning the nnual preventable loss to the nation of ;
frequency of tuberculous lesions, found du- many years of future industrial activity, ,
ring port-mortem inquiry have varied con- approximating one half of man's average ;
siderably, according to the thoroughness existence. If the value, to the State, of;;
with which all parts of the body have been each healthy inhabitant during the entire :i
explored, During recent yea's these re- period of usefullness is estimated at $1,000, 1
searches have been conducted in a more the economic loss in one year from deaths !
systematic manner than formerly, and re- so premature will approach at least $500 for ,i
ported cases of latent infection a-^e formore each individual thus removed, making an i
numerous. annual drain of §75,000,000 upon the Uni- i
Naegeli's statistics upon this subjet ob- ted Stales from this source alone. This is
tained from the critical stady of five hun- entirely exclusive of the additional expense i
dred autopsies at Prof. Ribbert's institute necessitated for the maintenance of charity 1
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in Zurich, are particularly startling. After organizations and the demands imposed by i
carefully inspecting every organ of the body the disease upon private benevolence.
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including the lymphatic glands as well as The above figures form a very conserva- \
examining a large number of microscopic tive estimate of the potential loss each year i
sections, he reports the finding of tubercu- in the United States from a cause admitted 1
lous lesions in 97% of all the cases up to the to be within the limits of prevention. The |
fifteenth year, 96% up to the eighteenth year computation of many students of political .\
and neail}' 100% up to the fortieth year, econom)' and observers of medical coudi- 5
The^e results apparently corroborate tho tions estimate the financial loss to this i
popular German belief that every person country as a result of tuberculosis to vary
possesses a slight focus of tubercular infection.
from
year.
$200,000,000 to $400,000,000 each \
In New York City 15,000 people die '
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The obscure localized lesions, affecting annually from this disease and abovt an (
the vast number of human beings compared
with those actually succumbing to
equal number die annually in the States of
Illinois and Ohio. In New York City, in
the disease of pulmonary tuberculosis, af- 1905, 32,000 cases of tuberculofis were refords
a striking commentary upon the ef- ported to the board of health. In Austria
fectiveness of self-immunization. In this the tuberculin test has recently been em- i
connection it is not only necessary to consider
the many individuals who perish anployed
upon healthy soldiers, with a /w/-
tive result in 60% of those who were prenually
from the disease, but also the myr- sumably well, thus demonstrating the fact
iads of those whose capacity as wage earners
is restricted. Th. number thus afflictthat
a latent focus of tubercular infection \
existed in each one of these apparently,
ed is truly appalling, and in nearly all healthy soldiers,
countries, exceeds in economic loss and If this test were used in this country
human suffering all other combined agen- among the apparently healthy no doubt
cies which contribute to the pathos of fate, like result would be obtained. We can
When we consider the working power of readily see how appalling this condition of
labor which constitutes the chief commodi- things would apjiear, and how important it
t^ of State, it is not difficult to comprehend is for the medical profession to begin tike
the tremendous depreciation of economic great fight oj educating the public along
resources entailed by the ravages of such a lines of hygiene and sanitation as a predisease.
Even without regard to the magnitude
and depth of human suffering, the
deprivations and blighted prospects incident
to prolonged illness, the dismem'^erventive
measure against the spread of tijf
bercular infection.
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When we consider the astounding facte;
that over one million human beings have
ment of families, and the agony of heart and this year surrendered their lives to this arch
Tsi\\\&., the glaring fact remains that the preva- enemy, including over one hundred thotl-
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