El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-13
A NATIONAL SANITARIUM
For Consumptlves Should Be Estd-
bliShed In FL pdsO.

| Dl1Shed In 81 pdSO.
Ell Paso, July Il
Editor HERALD:
have noticed several all lsions in
steps to secure g national sanitarium
for this locality. In your issue of the
I'd this month you said: "But strange
ly enough some of our people are will
ing to let Phoenix and Albuquerque
get ahead of them in hustling." While
l fully endorse the idea of tablishing
such an institution 1t appears to me
that it is q matter of too much import
snce to thousands of our people to get
up scramble over.
Crtainly, no one will contend, that
any given locality should get all the
benefits or bear all the burdens of such
an esta blishment. In the United States
there are oubtless 100000 people
suffering to some extent from con-
sumption. OF this number, perhaps
one-half are too poor financially either
to reach a sanitarium, or to remain at
one when there If they have to pay,
even small sum for medical atsen
ton and board.
Does any locality want to Undertake
the care of these helpless ones? And
yet shall we be SO narrow minded as to
object to the national government
doing as much to protect them and
those who come into contact with
them, as it does to protect one locality
against the evil effects of diseased
stock being sent from one locality to
another? Do we not do all ia our pow
err to suppress smallpox, yellow fever,
cholera, plague, &c? Does not the very
life Of the nation depend in measure
upon healthy citizenship? Ii we
have diseased parents shall We not
also have weak children? If we sup
press disease, will we not have healthy
citizenship to take our sailors and
soldiers from? Then why should we
allow thousands to die at home for
want of means to reach nature's sani-
tarium, while we spend millions in
keeping large armies in the field?
We have territory large enough
in the great southwest in which TO
build several sanitsriums, and as
every section of our great country
would be benefited why not appeal to
our national government In the name
of all the afflicted ones of our country,
to esta blish, not one but several homes
for consumptives where the poor as
we'll as the rich can be taken care of.
Thousands die even in the best of
climates, because after they get there,
they brood over the necessity OF
going away in q short time, because
they have no means to remain upon.
L
this section every year simply because
they are too poor to remain without
begging their way.
One of the greatest draw backs to
complete restoration to health OF thou
sands, lies in the fact that they wait
too long before seeking refuge. If
we had q number OF good, well equip
ped nstionsl sanitariums, open to all
alike when aft .cted with tuberculosis
WI
hasten to take advantage of the assist.
ance given them and being assured of
assistance until restored TO health
would recover much more rapidly than
II left to their own re source.
Another important factor in this
matter, lies in the fact that when
man has consumption, no matter how
hood very few are disposed to give
him work, for the two reasons: fret
because they know the sick man can
not 90 his work as readily as well
one; and secondly because they do not
care to be constantly in contact with
q man or woman suffering from con-
sumption. And thus the enforced IDLE
ness of coasumptives leaves them more
time to brood over their ills, when
healthful exercise, good healthy full
food, and coutented mind would mate
rally aid them to regain their
health.
l have discussed this matter with a
great many visitors here suffering
from consum ption aud almost with one
accord they endorse the idea of having
a national sanitarium. Thea why not
begin in time, and 20 before congress
in such way this fall, as to make as
surance doubly sure? Bring the mat
ter before candidates for congress in
every distr let in the union. Not as q
republican measure, or democratic
measure or populist measure, but as
one in which every section of our
great country is interested.
1t should not be for the benefit of Ell
Paso or Phoenix or Albuquerque or
any other point, but for the benefit of
the whole country. We should esta-
blish. not one. but many; place them
under the supervision of our army sur
geons aided by local physicians. At
such an institution experiment after
experiment could be made until some
sovereign remedy could be found to
cure consumption.
Early In the month of May last I
wrote Mr.. Stephens, congressman from
this district. on this subject and recei-
we'd this reply:
House of Representatives.,
Washington, May 81.
S. o. Noodle,
Ell Paso, Texas.
Dear Sir:-Your letter to hand and
contents duly noted. | will say that [
agree with you regarding the SAINT
arium, but at present l am trying to
secure for Ell Psso an international
dam for the equitable distribution of
the waters Of the Rio Grande, 80 l can
not ask for too much at one time.
It is also so near the close of the pre-
sent session that l could not make any
headMaY In the matter You mention |