Everett Unionists Join Fight Against 'White Plague'
Labor organizations rally behind a state health board initiative to combat tuberculosis, marking 'Labor Day' at the upcoming medical exhibition.
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Under the leadership of Mrs. W. M. Thornton, the labor movement in Everett has joined the campaign against tuberculosis, often called the 'white plague.' Kindergarten Hall on Colby Avenue will host a state health board exhibit, and local unionists have committed to support the public meetings. Records from the city health department highlighted the urgency of the cause, noting that in 1909, tuberculosis accounted for over 12 percent of all deaths in Everett, surpassing all other diseases. The Ministerial Association has also pledged to dedicate sermons to the cause, and labor leaders—including E. P. Marsh—are scheduled to speak at the exposition.
“That there is urgent need for the people to take an active part in the campaign against the white plague is apparent from the records of the city health department.”
Public health initiatives historically relied on the mobilizing power of unions and social clubs to reach working-class populations. The urgency of 1909's tuberculosis crisis echoes the ways modern cities must organize community-wide responses to public health threats.
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