The tuberculosis crisis: the deadly consequence of immigration policies and welfare reform.

Highly contagious tuberculosis [is] close to epidemic level in the city.... No matter where you are in New York today, you can be at risk.' I have been sick as a dog the last two weeks; I caught cold in spite of [the] heat and three most famous doctors on the island. One sniffed at what I spat up, the second tapped where I spat it from, the third poked aboutand listened how I spat it. One said I had died, the second that I am dying, the third that I shall die. I can scarcely keep them from bleeding me. 2 Waksman was led into the court in the centre of the hospital, where two shy children came up to greet him. One was a boy of about five, named Michael, and the other was Janet, a girl of about :-even. The director explained: 'These two children were brought to this hospital six months ago, from distant regions of France. They were almost in a state of coma on arrival. We began at once to treat them with streptomycin. As you see, they have both made a complete recovery....' A year later, in a pattern that was becoming frighteningly familiar , a letter arrived at Waksman's office in New Jersey informing hini that little Michael had relapsed and died. The tuberculosis germs had resurrected and this time they were resistant to * J.D. summa cum laude,