SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING 251 



tion and thanks to the Local Committee on Arrangements, the St. Louis Soci- 

 ety, and the Missouri Tuberculosis Association for their generous hospitality 

 and their assistance in arranging for this meeting; to the Management of the 

 Hotel Statler for the use of its meeting rooms and to all those who have helped 

 to make the conference a success. 



On behalf of the Committee on Indigent Migratory Consump- 

 tives, Mr. James H. Pershing, Chairman, presented a report. On 

 motion duly made and carried, it was ordered that the report be 

 accepted and the Committee be continued and enlarged. The 

 report of the Committee follows: 



FINAL REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON INDIGENT MIGRATORY 

 CONSUMPTIVES 



Your Committee, through its Secretary, has collected a large amount of data 

 concerning the indigent migratory consumptive, largely from the southwestern 

 states, but including a number of communities in other parts of the country as 

 well. Unfortunately the records available have been so incomplete that au- 

 thentic figures in regard to a number of the points investigated could not be 

 obtained. We have however been able to learn certain definite facts. 



First: That there is a large indigent migratory problem. The region most 

 seriously affected is the Southwest, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mex- 

 ico and Texas receiving by far the greater majority of migrants. Colorado and 

 California have the largest number, but in proportion to the population Ari- 

 zona, New Mexico and certain small communities in Texas are more seriously 

 affected. 



Certain communities in Kansas, Wyoming, Utah, eastern Texas and several 

 cities in the Middle West may be looked upon as gateways, which receive cases 

 stopping off en route to the so-called health resort states. 



Second: That the problem also prevails more or less extensively in other 

 health resort communities, particularly in Asheville, certain portions of Florida, 

 and Saranac Lake. Also, there is a definite movement of tuberculous indigents 

 toward and from the large industrial centers of the East and Middle West. 



Third: That the ex-soldier is no longer to be regarded as a factor in the indi- 

 gent migratory consumptive problem, because of Government care. 



Fourth : That among these cases there is an unusually high death rate within 

 the first year after migration. For example, in Arizona, out of 1,132 deaths 

 from tuberculosis reported in 1918, 440 or 39 ^ per cent, had resided in the state 

 less than twelve months. 



Fifth: That, of the indigent tuberculous persons, a varying but large per- 

 centage are non-residents. 



Sixth: That the principal causes of the migration of the indigent tubercu- 

 lous are: 



