Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-15

hesitated in advancing their views only
in the fear that what they might say
be taken as an indisposition to APP
preciate what the health department
is striving to accomplish in the line of
| its duty to the public. The doctors
without exception expressed their de-
| sire to sustain an cooperate in fullest
measure with the health commission
! er in making provision for prop
erly combating contagious disease
in any form, and while there are diff
ferenees of opinion as to method
| and policy there is none as to the
fact that the health department is
acting wisely and most timely in max
ing suitable preparations to meet
emergency. The Argus interviews
with Rock Island physicians have re-
suited in the following expressions:
Ex-HeaIth Commissioners.
DIR. G. G. Craig, Sr.: Regarding the
smallpox hospital, 1 think it wise
for the city to have one; and
as to the location, l think the one
selected is the best and perhaps the
only one that could be obtained.
| Smallpox hospitals, or pest houses,
although necessary, are nevertheless
nuisances, or would be so declared if
located in any nice high place about
| the city. | was surprised however,
at the amount proposed to be eXpend-
ed on the structure, (S6,OOo.l l would
have thought that one-third or one
half that amount would be ample. l
suppose the purpose is to have an
-,
nection with the hospital. That is
necessary to have it complete, and /
think the old abattoir building is
large enough for both. l approve of
the measure and the location, but l
don't understand why it need cost so
much. There should be reliable
custodian, or the building and its
contents will be destroyed"
DIR. G. l.. Eyster: Il do not think
the abattoir location is a good one
for a contagious disease hospital.
Its original selection for that pur-
pose was dernier resort in an emer-
gency. The locality is unsanitary in
many respects, and | doubt whether
it is possible with the present sys-
tenn of sewerage to make its sur
roundings sanitary. 1t also seems to
me unwise so spend so large an
amount of money in the remodeling
of the old abattoir for this purpose.
\ contagious disease hospital should
be modelled more on the cottage hos
pital plan, with its building of a
more temporary character that in
case of necessity could he destroyed
without so la~ge a loss of money. \
u
pital could be obtained and the cree
tiOn upon it of a nice, clean cottage
hospital. which could be easily sup
piled with trained nurses when need
ed, would be much preferable in my
opinion to the proposed plan"
DR.. +. NJ. Sala: 1T is my opinion
that temporary or possibly a per-
manent detention hospital is very nee
essary in Il city the size of Rock ISL
and, but to spend IS, 900 or even $4,000
for such purpose at this time would
be unnecessary and out of place. If
the city has any surplus cash on hand
il can be put to a much better use by
increasing the capacity of our filter
ing basins, and thereby stamp out
typhoid or other infectious diseases,
which are more fatal than any conta-
gious diseases we have had to occupy
a detention hospital for a good many
years. However, / don't wish to go
on record as being opposed to a de-
tention hospital, and would be in fa-
vor of repairing the abattOir to the
extent of $500 or $4,000. If it is to
be an elaborate and up-to-date deten-
ton hospital. l am in favor of a more
desirable location than the dumping
grounds or sewer outlets for the en-
tire city. In any very great epidemic
the quarters would be altogether too
small to accommodate the demands
that would then exist. Perhaps if
some effort were put forth the hos
pital authorities could be induced to
have a building built on ground at
the rear of the hospital and operated
on a plan similar to the one in con-
nection with Mercy hospital in Daven-
port / understand that the arrange
ment over there has been entirely
satisfactory. Furthermore, the sis
tiers are always ready and willing to
nurse such cases, as they demonstra-
ted in our last invasion of the disease |
by offering their services. This is a |
problem that it has been rather diff |
cult to solve in previous epidemics be- |
cause very few good nurses cared to
live in the abattoir even a few weeks. |
A building run in connection with the |
hospital could be made ready to re- |
ceive patients in an hours time, and |
without an outlay for dishes, house |
hold furniture, etc, every time a new |
case springs up, as has been the case
in times past. After the last case is
well no one cares to look after and |
take care of these things for fear of
the disease, and they are
usually stolen by the time the city |
has occasion to use them again. This
would not be the case if it were run
by the hospital, because it would be |