1923: Tuberculosis identical among patients of different races

The National Tuberculosis Association issues a paper stating that “tuberculosis attacks without racial preference.” TB lesions are not significantly different among American Indian patients than among white patients. Instead, the report asserts that poverty, when severe enough, can destroy the health of any population.

Before this report, U.S. medical officials blamed the high rate of tuberculosis on American Indian culture. Physician Sydney Tillim stated that the Navajo lack “intelligence in all things medical.”

Theme

Epidemics

Region

Arctic, California, Great Basin, Great Plains, Hawai‘i, Northeast, Northwest Coast, Plateau, Southeast, Southwest, Subarctic