The daily Republican., 1902-12-01
CONSUMPTIVES +
IN DELAWARE
DR.. John j. Black Thinks State
Should Build a Sanator-
ium For These Invalids.

Writing upon the subject of "con-
sumptives in Delaware" DR.. John
J. Black of New Castle, says:
"There are probably at the pres
ent time in Delaware 5000 persons
suffering from tuberculosis in its
greater or lesser forms, 1t is neith-
er practicable nor desirable that all
tn ese people should go to the State
Sanatorium. The Sanatorium should
be started to aid as many as posi-
bic Of the cases fit for hospital
treatment and especially should it
be started to commence to educate
not only the sick but the general
public as to the possibility and fea-
sibility Of the cure of consumption
to prevent its communication to
hea lthy persons. Why should Del
aware delay9 Why should her peo-
pie alter in a matter SO vital to the
preservation of the race and to
their temporal prosperity?
"As to the location of the Sanato-
rum the southern slope Of Iron
Hill would be an ideal site. 1t is
among the highest points i'll the
State, about $40 feet above tide wa
ter, and in every way desirable. 1t
should be possible to acquire land
there say one hundred to two hun
dred acres, at a reasonable rate and
placing the buildings at reasona-
bic distance from the top, we'll
wooded, would give windbreak
sufficient to make the surroundings
all to be wished tor in Sanatorlum
The location of the institution,
wherever it may be, will in every
way add to the Importance, tho de-
velopment and the material advance
of the neighborhood. The cost of
the buildings should not be great.
Four hundred dollars per patient for
thirty patients would be fair estim
ate. To provide for something extra
for the administration building, l
should think SIS, 900 would be sutti-
cient to start the enterprise so far as
the buildings are concerned. EXclu'
sive of salaries and some other items,
believe one dollar per day per pa
tient should cover the expenses OF
the institution. For thirty patients
this would amount to say $ll, 900
per year
LET the patients pay 80 cents per
dav board. This should cover sal
aries and other items. One physl-
clan and two trained nurses should
be able TO carry on the work at the
start. The patients need very little
nursing. Much of the other help
can be obtained by persons willing
to work for their board and treat
msut. These estimates | know are
shaved very close, bu! 1t the State
will purchase the slte and appro.
pirate $4,000 the first year | be-
Ileye the buildings can be built and
the undertaking be fairly launched
TO run to January 1st, 1904. An ap-
preparation OF $4,000 more would
carry il up 10 the time of the next
Legislature, January, 1905. Now
let the Legislature act, and their
names will 60 down ID the history
OF Delaware as the creators OF the
grandest work OF the century. l
repeat, this is not a question Of
dollars and cents, it ls a question
oil happy homes, OF lives plucked
from fires fed by the parasites
alounu US, question of very sal
vat ION to the human race.
"The State Board of Health Of
Delaware is composed OF gentlemen
taken from among our best and
ablest citizens, and | believe the
Legislature. # in its ,WlsdOr III 1t
should see fit t. enact,a law estab-
fishing this great charity, would in
every way do the right and prop
er thing did it eutnrone them with
the power to erect and carry on a
Sanatorium, for the treatment Of
unfortunate citizens OF this State
suffering from consumption. Let
us have a Delaware SanatJrium, or
an Iron Hill .SanatOrium, or a San
atorium by any other name, so the
word consumption has no share III
it, Then we can say to the wayfar-
er who hitherto has only been tread
ing the downward path, don't 60
home to die, take Eope, go to the
Sanatorium and get well. God
speed the day"