T.B. IN ALASKA
Christmas Seal Sale figures'
for the 1040 Christmas Seal S^le,
while not yet complete, indicates ,
that this years Sale will be the
largest ever held in the Territory,
according'to Harry G. Watson of
Fair’ anks, chairman of the annual
drive.
,;Tho people of Alaska have
again demonstrated their willing
ness to respond most generously
to a worthy cause", ho said, I
wish to thank, not only the many
volunteer workers who devoted
their time and interest toward
making the Sale such an outstand
ing success but also each and
every individual and organization
whoso generous contributions have
o0ain made possible the contin
uation of the work of the Assn .
by way oi comparison Alaska’s
death rate from TB in 1S39 was 11
times higher than that of the
U.S. as a whole--higher than in
any State or Territory of the U.S.
An appreciation of this comparison
indicates the results of adequate
control measures. Lack of such
control is indicated by the con
tinuous high death rate in Alaska.
Oregon was chosen because it
is one state in which tuberculosis
control measures, while not ideal,
are superior to those of the nat
ional average. Oregon's records
show cl arly the beneficial results
of planned, coordinated activities
by Federal, State and Volunteer
organizations, iublic interest
in the control of TB in Oregon
has always been high and the public
demand for adequate control mea
sures --Tuberculin testing and
X-ray clinics, adequate hospital
facilities for the isolation and
treatment of active eases of T3,
health education in the schools
and progressive public health and
sanitation ut-asures--all ha.vc
played an important part in re
ducing TB deaths. Alaska can do
the same.
Oregon has been able to re
duce the death rate from TB by the
addition of sanatoria beds plus an
active program of casc-finding,
diagnosis, isolation of active
cases in hospitals and education
of the public about T".
In the whole Territory of
Alaska there arc only 46 hospital
beds assigned for the care of TB
cases. Those bods arc all in
hospitals of the Office of Indian
Affairs and arc for the care of
Alaska natives only. There are fev;
hospital bods in Alaska sot aside
for the care of white TB eases.
Beginning in 1908 with a TB
death rate of 102 per 100,000
population and 80 TB beds, Oregon
has, by increasing the beds to 700
decreased the death rate to a
1938 low of 30 per 100,000 popu
lation. TB beds arc considered
of primary importance in TB con
trol by medical authorities and it
is certain that the provision of
TB hospital facilities would have
a similar effect in Alaska.
DENALI 4 -II
The Denali 4-H club has de
cided to take weaving as their
project this year. Mrs. Ivan
V/ilson will be their local loader.
Tho following officers were elected
at a meeting hay 14: president,
Peggy Poster; vice-pros., Martha
Marshall; see., Betty Jane Huntley;
troas., Mary Marshall; reporter,
Evelyn Foster; and song leader,
Betty Jane Huntley.
Tho club selected tho first
and 3rd. V/ednesdays of each month
for their meeting dates.
The Hivorbend 4-H club met
at the Horrison home Saturday,
May 10th. Gwendolyn McHeeso
joined the dub. Plans were made
to complete the sewing kit.'Towels
will be hemmed at the next ..looting
Monday, May 19.
There will be a meeting of tho
Palmer Garden club in tho Extension
office at 9:00 Saturday morning,
May 17.