C. Earl Albrecht and the struggle against tuberculosis in Alaska

This paper outlines the contributions of C. Earl Albrecht in tuberculosis control in Alaska during his term as Territorial Commissioner of Health from 1945 to 1956. Tuberculosis, called the "Scourge of Alaska," had spread by the end of World War II to every corner of Alaska, with especially devastating effects on the Alaska Natives. When Dr. Albrecht became commissioner, the epidemic was at its peak. With an obvious zest for battle, he organized a campaign on many fronts, with initial emphasis on case-finding, establishing a tuberculosis register, and making available hospital beds both for orthopedic and pulmonary tuberculosis. Later, BCG vaccination, ambulatory chemotherapy, and chemoprophylaxis were added to the battle plan. The results were strikingly successful. He became an eloquent spokesman and advocate for health in both Juneau and Washington, and was successful in obtaining greatly increased territorial and federal appropriations, not to mention surplus military buildings, ships, and supplies. He was also notably effective in bringing together into a functional team such diverse agencies as the U.S. Public Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Territorial Department of Health, and various voluntary health organizations.