106 A HISTORY OF NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION 



The headquarters of the Minnesota Public Health Association 

 are at 300 Shubert Building, St. Paul, Minnesota, and the execu- 

 tive secretary is Dr. William F. Wild. 



MISSISSIPPI TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION 



The first attempt at organization of tuberculosis work in Mis- 

 sissippi was in 1907, when the Mississippi State Anti-Tuberculosis 

 League was formed. The Association, however, while starting 

 out with a laudable purpose and with a certain amount of educa- 

 tional activity, did not long survive. It was not until 1913 that 

 another effort at organization was made when the Mississippi 

 Anti-Tuberculosis Committee was formed with headquarters at 

 Jackson. The present Mississippi Tuberculosis Association is 

 a rechristening of this earlier organization. Considering the 

 sparsity of population, the large Negro element and the lack of 

 great industrial centers, Mississippi has made a record of itself in 

 the development of tuberculosis work since 1913 of which it may 

 well be proud. Much still remains to be done, but the progress 

 indicates favorable development in the future. 



The national campaign of education, developed out of Christ- 

 mas seal funds by the State Association, gradually bore fruit until 

 in 1918 the Mississippi State Tuberculosis Sanatorium came into 

 existence with Dr. Henry Boswell as superintendent. With the 

 opening of the sanatorium, the need for such an institution be- 

 came more and more apparent. In connection with the State 

 Association, therefore, Dr. Boswell began a campaign before the 

 meeting of legislature in 1919, which resulted in the hitherto un- 

 precedented appropriation by the Mississippi Legislature of 

 $1,000,000, for the enlargement of the state sanatorium and the 

 extension of its work throughout the state. The completed plan 

 of the institution provides for I ; ooo beds. Less than five years 

 ago there was not a single bed for the care of the tuberculous 

 patients in Mississippi. 



The State Association has also aroused interest locally and now 

 has 22 affiliated county tuberculosis committees. Besides the 

 state sanatorium there is a county hospital. The state also main- 

 tains an excellent traveling clinic and the State Association main- 

 tains a state nurse. There are about 20 public health nurses. 



