The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-14

n the direction of PennSNlNalia $
forestry commissioner DR.. Roth
rock. and the newly created state
bureau of forestry. TO make of the
commonwealth lately acquired forest
reserve in Pike county a sanilarium
for persons suffering from lung
troubles Those who will seek for
themselves the health giving. restor-
ative air of the woods must of course
be of those in such stages of disease
as can avail themselves of camp life
and the resources that nature gives Of
outdoor living. That Il multitude of
these can have their lives prolonged.
many of them be restored to perfect
health is no longer question. The
worlds experience of tubcrculous dis
ease has proved it.
The general public is no less aware
of the need for giving help to the
great numbers of consumptivcs in such
straitened circumstances that they
cannot secure help for themselves: par
ticularly those already too far adj
vanced in the dreaded disease to gain
even could they be sent there. 1t is
for this great army of sufferers that
the Free Hospital for Poor consump
tives in the State of Pennsylvania"
was begun. The hospital itself. we
may say, has not been even started in
brick and mortar, although it has
been actively. at work since the move
ment was begun in 1895. The hospital
Was incorporated in 1897. To explain,
we quote from the latest annual report
Just issued: In order that the most
good may be done at the least outlay.
the board of management deems it
advisable to continue its present meth
od of paying for the maintenance OF
dying patients in existing hospitals
until such time as it shall be able to
secure a home without going into debt
to do So This policy, as say the man
ayers, is necessary because of the
great distress of the consumptive poor.
The disease from which they suffer
is outlawed to charity, but some of the
hospital beds to which charity can
not lead may be reached by money;
therefore they find it far better to
use the limited amount of money that
they so far can command for main
tcnance of patients in such beds than
to put ii in bricks and mortar or to
sink it in interest upon debt.
But with 1000 poor consumptives in
the state there is now need for the
hospital To have "a home of its own
Last year IA special effort Was made
To raise funds for this purpose. Money
enough came from generous friends to
purchase IA beautiful tract of two hun
dred and fifteen acres in the Blue
Ridge range of mountains, not far
from White Haven. Now comes the
| need of funds to build cottages on this
| hospital in the states chief city for
| those who cannot be sent away.
Says an appeal, signed by Lawrence
+. Flick president OF the "Free Hos
pital for Poor Consumptives," and sent
! out with the annual report; I'm recent
| Years the state of PENNSYLVANIA has
| appropriated in the neiShborhood of
| one million dollars every Two years
| for the care of the sick poor of the
| state in general hospitals, The hospi-
| tails to which this money has ~been
| given exclude consumptives from their
| beds. About four million dollars is
| asked from the present legislature by
| these hospitals. The Free Hospital for
! Poor Consumptiyes has asked for one
| hundred and ten thousand dollars for
| the consumptive poor of the state.
| The State Board of Charities has rec
commended that sixty thousand dollars
be appropriated for this purpose, There
are about five thousand poor consump
| tives who need hospital treatment in
Pennsylvania. This number consi-
tutes probably one-third of the sick
| poor of the state. We are asking for
| mere pittance for them. VIII you
! help us TO get it? If so, kindly write
"A letter 10 Hon. Ward r. Bliss. chair
man of the appropriation committee