New-York tribune., 1900-12-02
THE DEWEY ARCH FUND.
DIR. KNoPF SUGGESTS THAT 1T BE USED
TO BUILD A HOSPITAL FOR
CoNSUMPTIyES.

| prominent contributors to the Dewey Arch Funo
that the money collected for the purpose OF erect
| ing a permanent monument should be eonsecrateo
| 10 charity. II not specified TO what paruculA'
| kind OF charity this should be devoted May
| / as one who has given considerable time 10 the
| study Of charities and of the tuberculosis prop
lem in the United States. particularly N .ne
| OF New-York. be permitted to suggest What Aihu
OF charity I'm my humble opinion. is at the preseh'
time most urgent practical and productive OF the
most good?
| At recent public hearing of the Tenement house %
| Commission the subject under discussion was nc
| Relation of Tuberculosis the Tenement House
Problem" Dr. Pryor. of Buffalo, a close stuoeht
! Of the tuberculosis problem stated that theIe a.
/ at least twenty thousand consumptVes aHohs Tue
tenement house dweers of this city, that SIX thou-
sand neonle Of this city die of consumption every
wear and that the consumptive poor IN this great
Commonwealth are the only class Of invalids VINO
do not get proper care and for whom no accomno-
dations hospital or sanatorium facilities exist
Professor Herman NJ. Biggs one OF the greatest au-
thorities on tuberculosis In this country, and one
OF the higher officials OF the New-York Board OF
Health said at The same hearing i'm regard 10 the
problem of tuberculosis that infecton-that is 10
saw transmitting the disease from consumptive
10 q healthy individuaI-is OF the main causes
OF the fearful prevalence of this dreadful disease
in The tenement districts. For example. he cited
that tn a block in Pearl and Mott SITS, containing
nopulation OF two thousand 31s cases OF tubercu-
losis occurred I'm four ana one-haf years
To show the prevalence of this disease and the
danger OF infection and fearful mortality the state
ments Of these two gentlemen will sunlce. but 10
casual observer IL must sound ike PARADOX "heh
I say tba; II is now generally admitted by the
hisbest medical authorities that this very disease
oonsunnntion or pulmonary tuberculosis, is never
tbeless one OF the most preventable and curaoie
afctions human flesh is heir TO- II is In the power
OF man 20 prevent and cure. nay, perhaps even u
eradicate, this great plague.
Consumption is pre-emnently disease Of the
poor and has Just as important a social as medl-
cal aspect. Society must come 10 the aid or the
medical profession in its battle with this common
foe. OvercrOwding in unhealthy homes malnutri-
ton poverty and prvatioR contribute perhaps
more than anything else TO the frequency OF the
disease among the poor. and our Tenement House
Commission and charity organizations are endeaV-
oring 10 remedy some Of these evils. But against
the immediate source of the propagation Of tuber-
culosis-that is 10 say, the presence Of consump-
tives among the tenement dweliers-their labors
of avail.
The realization OF this condition resulted in bill
brought before the legislative bodies in Albany.
Two hundred thousand dollars was asked for the
erection OF a sanatorium fer the treatment of in
cipient cases Of consumption and $4,000 was finally
granted for such institution 10 be located in the
Adirondack Mountains. Even a layman must see
that, in view of the presence Of twenty thousand
poor consumptives in New-York City alone. a
single sanstorium. for which only $4,000 has been
appropriated and where only early cases are to be
admitted, is like "a drop Of relief in an ocean of
Woe
Not only several large sanatoria for the treat
meEt and cure Of consumptives of the city and
State OF NewYork needed, but must have
an equal number Of hospitals to which more ad-
vanced cases be taken from the tenement
homes. where they constitute permanent centres Of
infection. These hospitals. which should not be
situated too far from the city, would have two
fold purpose They would take of. isolate and
treat all those unfortunate sufferers who in their
homes are neither treated medically nor receive
that hygienic care which is essential in the
management OF consumptiVes. Second by being
In hospital and under strict medical supervision,
thelr friends ana relatives but can no longer, By
their unsanitary habits and carelessness with their
eNpectoraton. convey their disease 10 their kin and
The urgent need of such hospitals near our city
preparation for that purpose was made last spring
oS fbfs e ng r1R aTa %i Di Py Rr NelSGn HenTy NY
Van Myck, the honorable Mayor. to urge upon him
the signing OF this bill but without success So in
spite OF all agitation, there has yet been done
anything 10 relieve this fearful condition.
Seeing IN the daily papers the suggestion TO de-
vote the Dewey Arch funds 10 charita be purposes
the thought came to me that more fitting monu-
ment TO The victor of Manila could not be erected
man a Dewey monument sanatorium Cor hospital
Tor the consumptiVe poor OF the city OF New orh
before making thls suggestion public j endeavored
70 get the opinion Of few men who were interested
project. Some thought well Of IT, and some were
indifferent, not caring for what purpose their
Charity Others I ReT ReE as douBt b % to th
nohGFs consenting TO have the money thus apEro,
IN burst OF enthusiasm, many would want their
money back ard were glad that it has not been
asked Tor. do not share this last opinion. Dewey
j. stlll the hero OF Manila and all still
our country rhe patriotic citizens who CON
tFlonted to The Dewey Arch Fund. desired TO honor
me great Admiral. and to commemorate of
the most rema rka BILE naval victories of history
object 70 this change OF the original project which
for some reason or other did not become reality.
OF good with. am sure there cannot be a better
monument erected TO any American hero. who can
| haff Will bot5f
the loss OF one American life, than 10 see a great
is save American lives. Let il be known TO all
those who are not yet familiar with the results
now obtained In sanaora and special hospitals for
col sumptNes, that as many as 70 per cent are
cured when taken in time 10 these institutions.
They return 10 their homes after a sojourn of
from six TO nine months. as breadwinners and sup
tion has r1ade better citizens of them They have
@ @neen tausht eeanhness regularity and sobriety If
habits. and. above an they will have learned how
not to propagate their disease and how protect
themselves from reinfectiou Let II also be known
! that the consumptiVe residing in the dark filthy
has little Chance Of recovery and IN IN '
| cases out OF hundred his disease will progress
from bad 20 worse terminating an a lingering death
but not tunti he has. probably infected evety one
| And all this misery and untold suffering can be
! prevented If sanitary authorities phiant hropists
| I earnestly hope that the money subscribed for
| he Dewey Arch may be consecrated 10 the erec-
| non. and lei its be The Dewey Sanatorium
| for the Consumptive Poor Of the City Of New
| Let Dewey Arch in modest proportion be the
| gateway TO this house of hope for thousands who
| otherwise might have 20 perish in despair. be-
| heve that could the noble Admiral himself have a
| voice In this matter he would be more than GLAD
| 10 consent 10 this mode OF cOmmemOrating his
! name and his deeds, for such institution would
| inueed be a living monument not only of true
| patriotism and humanity but also of gratitude
| 10 a great American by grateful American citi.
] s. 4. kNOPF. d
| New-York. Nov %, loo
LAYS THE BLAME on KRUGER.
MEMBER OF THE REFORM COMMITTEES