Association of Tuberculosis Clinics

The Association of Tuberculosis Clinics (also known as Association of Tuberculosis Clinics of Greater New York) was an early 20th-century organization of tuberculosis clinics based in New York City, New York. It was formed in 1907 with eight clinics in Manhattan and The Bronx, and was considered to be a forward movement of great importance in the tuberculosis campaign in New York City. Aside from the general object of combating tuberculosis and alleviating the condition of tuberculosis persons, the association aimed to prevent patients drifting from one clinic to another.

The Association was composed of physicians who were chiefs of the tuberculosis divisions of their respective clinics. Until the permanent alliance of medical and social experts was arranged, the work for the care of consumptives was done in such an unsystematized fashion that the physicians, visiting nurses and charity agents were forced to take up cases without reference to each other. The division of the labor of the hospitals and clinics geographically instead of by affiliations of race and color was considered a radical step, but it was proved successful. Early in the history of the Association, it insisted upon the importance of medical supervision of the families of patients. Special emphasis was laid upon the supervision of children in the families of tuberculous individuals, and the clinics were urged to hold special sessions for children.