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" In inviting the Ancient Order of Foresters to be represented at the
British Congress on Tuberculosis, held in London, 1901, the Secretary of the
latter body stated:—'I would point out to you that the prevention of consumption,
and the care of those who are afflicted with the disease, is
emphatically a workman's question.' There can be no doubt of the truth of
this statement. How far the working classes, however, are more subject to
consumption than the more favoured classes is a question that does not at
present admit of any definite answer. The Registrar General in a
report for the four years 1896.99 shows that the mortality from all ages
in the four years stated in England and Wales, was equal to a rate of 1,521
per million living among males, and to a rate of 1,141 per million among
females. Practically, he says, the incidence of Phthisis is upon the ages
from 15 to 75 years of age, very old people and very young people being
comparatively exempt.
" Calculated upon the basis of the particulars supplied by branches of
our Order in England and Wales, our death.rates from consumption would be
equivalent to 1,885 per million amongst males and 1,529 per million amongst
females."
The result of the visit of the Friendly Societies sub.committee or deputation
to Germany has had a very considerable effect in opening the eyes of the
working classes connected with them to the importance of preventing and
curing consumption, and the reports of the members of that deputation to
their several Societies are full of the deepest interest. In one of these, Mr.
A. Chapman, late Parliamentary Agent to the Ancient Order of Foresters,
quotes from a return of the Imperial Board of Insurance (Prussia) "of the
whole population in Prussia, the mortality from consumption was in 1886, 31
per 10,000, in 1901, 19 per 10,000," commenting on which he exclaims " truly
a splendid outcome of the combat so far ! That means that in Prussia alone
nearly 300,000 less died of consumption in the 15 years than would have been
the case had the rate continued as in 1886. What a vindication of the
methods adopted; and what a pledge of the victory so confidently predicted by
the medical profession, that if the fight is maintained and all do their duty,
consumption will be as much a thing of the past in 50 years as is leprosy at
the present time ! "
Mr. F. Litchfield (a local resident) of the National Deposit Friendly
Society, speaking quite recently at a conference convened by the Derby
Medical Society stated that the Friendly Societies could reduce their sick pay
by 30 per cent. if only they gave the subject of consumption the attention it
deserved,