Experiences in a Program for the Control of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Chicago

¹ Chicago, Illinois
² Director of Clinics, Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium, Chicago, Illinois

While there are many other features of management which cannot be discussed here, the main features of the control plan, as operative in Chicago, may be summarized as follows:

1) Close supervision of the open case with protection of contacts in every way possible, as soon as possible.

2) Pneumothorax in the field for every case which shows an indication.

3) Close liaison between the sanitarium and clinics so that field collapse and sanitarium collapse are mutually complementary.

4) Total x-ray examination of slum areas, relief agencies, factories, high schools and colleges through the medium of the photoroentgenographic unit.

5) Continued efforts to secure legislation for compulsory examination of school teachers, food handlers—of all persons, in short, engaged in occupation which baring them in close contact with children, adolescents, or food produce.

With the exception of additional legislation and more rigid methods of enforcement, the program on the whole looks promising. Regarding new measures of legislative control, there are many ifs, ands, and buts. Apparently it is difficult to sell lawmakers the idea that tuberculosis is a contagious disease in the full sense of the word.