A History Of Tuberculosis In Alabama

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/04/cdc_tb.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:700;s:6:"height";i:475;s:4:"file";s:18:"2015/04/cdc_tb.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-336x228.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:228;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"cdc_tb-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-700x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:700;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-600x475.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:475;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-458x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:458;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-391x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:391;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-600x475.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:475;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"cdc_tb-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Janice Haney Carr
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => CDC/ Ray Butler, MS
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => already_optimized
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1666537093 
1428589278

Homewood residents were startled late last month when Homewood City Schools announced that a freshmen at Homewood High School was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). For most people, the respiratory disease tuberculosis is an anachronism, but it still kills more than a million people each year, mostly in developing countries.

“Not surprisingly, TB has a long history in Alabama as well,” says Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD.  Patterson recently wrote about TB’s history in Alabama. He says, in the 50’s, TB was a leading cause of death in Jefferson County.

The Birmingham Historical Society marked the place, now in the English Village, where tuberculosis was first fought in North Alabama.
The Birmingham Historical Society marked the place, now in the English Village, where tuberculosis was first fought in North Alabama. Photo by Nick Patterson, WELD.

“In 1964, lights in the shape of a Christmas tree decorated the side of the Vulcan tower and would glow red whenever there was a new TB diagnosis — like the statue’s torch did at the time for traffic fatalities,” says Patterson.

Patterson joins WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley to talk about TB’s legacy, and his interview with Dr. Edward Khan, medical director for disease control at the Jefferson County Department of Health, on the Homewood TB case.

 

Families describe deaths, violence in Alabama prisons as they push for change

Family members of people incarcerated in Alabama prisons packed a Wednesday meeting of the Legislative Prison Committee and then held a rally on the steps of the Capitol.

Vance slams Israel’s parliament vote on West Bank annexation, calling it an ‘insult’

Vice President Vance's scathing remark came as he wrapped up an Israel trip, as the Trump administration attempts to keep up momentum on the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

This ‘magical’ dinosaur specimen emerged from the ground like a polished jewel

A new pachycephalosaur, officially named Zavacephale rinpoche, was described in the journal Nature. The word rinpoche is Tibetan for "precious one" and refers to the domed skull.

Your ballot or other mail may not get postmarked by USPS the day it’s dropped off

Close to a deadline for mailing your ballot, tax return or legal document? To make sure it gets a postmark on time under the latest USPS changes, you may want to send it early or visit a post office.

What Jared Kushner brings to the negotiating table in the Middle East

President Trump's son-in-law says his relationships in the Middle East helped him broker a deal between Hamas and Israel. But his business ties also present a potential conflict.

Antidepressant side effects differ greatly depending on the drug, study finds

Millions of Americans take antidepressants. And like all medication they come with side effects. Researchers studied 30 different antidepressants and found side effects vary from drug to drug.

More News Coverage