The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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November, 1927 The Health Bulletin 17
I
Dr. Henry D. Chadwick of Westfield,
Mass., covering the same class of cases
as those examined by the Extension Department
of the State Sanatorium,
found the following:
In 10,098 children examined, 2,659 or
28.3 per cent were positive to the tuberculin
test, while in North Carolina only
23.79 per cent have been found positive
to the tuberculin test, a difference
in our favor of 5 per cent.
In a demonstration by the National
Tuberculosis Association in Cattaraugus
County, about 13 per cent of adults
examined were found to have tuberculosis
and 5 per cent of all children examined
were found to have tuberculosis,
while in our State only 1.92 per
cent were found among the children examined.
In the work done in Cattaraugus
County, New York, by the National
Tuberculosis Association, the number
of cases found in children 10 per cent
or more under weight was 6.6 per cent.
The following are the percentages of
cases for the various degrees of underweight,
beginning with 10 per cent
10% to 14% 3.6% had tuberculosis
15% to 19%, 8.8% had tuberculosis
20%, to 24% 20.9% had tuberculosis
25% and over. 5. % had tuberculosis
THE SCHOOL TUBERCULOSIS CLINIC FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
By C. C. HUDSON, M.D., City Health Officer, Greensboro
Beginning the latter part of November,
1926, representatives of the Extension
Department of the North Carolina
Sanatorium, working with the
City Health Department of Greensboro,
undertook the study of our school children
to determine the prevalence of
tuberculosis infection and how many
school children needed treatment other
than they were receiving at the present
time. The clinic was conducted
jointly, the State Sanatorium supplied
a clinician and read the X-ray plates,
and the City Health Department made
arrangements for the examination of
the children through nurses and assisted
during examinations and financed
the X-ray work which were
cared for by Dr. Shohan, a local X-ray
expert.
The clinic afforded an exceHent opportunity
for centering the attention
of our people upon the importance of
tuberculosis in childhood. It has been
of especial importance in impressing
upon the public the importance of having
children who are not developing as
they should given a careful physical
examination. We are having better cooperation
from the parents in the correction
of defects, such as underweight,
diseased tonsils and other things which
are hindering the development of our
children.
The study has given us new light on
certain phases of our tuberculosis work.
In deciding which children should be
examined. Dr. McCain thought it would
be well to examine
First—All white children who were
as much as ten per cent underweight
for their height.
Second—All negro children who were
below normal weight.
Third—All children who gave history
of exposure to tuberculosis without
reference to their condition.
Fourth—Any child who showed
symptoms of tuberculosis, such as
chronic cough, lassitude, over-fatigue,
etc.
One thousand four hundred and sixtytwo
children were examined of which
332 gave a positive test, thus indicating
an infective rate of 22.8 per cent of
the number examined. The white rate
was 20.9 per cent, the colored 25.7 per
cent. The infection rate of 22.8 is much
higher than we would probably find if
we examined all the children in school
as we had all our children who had
been exposed to tuberculosis in this
group and also all the underweights
and those showing symptoms of tuberculosis.