The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-10
AGAINST PESTHOUsE.
Fifth Ward RemOnstratOrs Hold An
other Meeting.

About forty men met at Hammond's Hall,
Blake and North streets, last night to COM
plete the remonstrance that is to be pre-
scented to Mayor Bookwalter this morning
against establishing the pesthouse west of
the City Hospital The demonstrators have
had number of meetings. Last night the
presence of Councilman Wahl. of the Fifth
ward. and Councilman Expert. of the
Fourth ward. was desired, but neither was
there. The meeting was presided over by
Martin Dugan and Robert Reinhart was
secretary
cause of the reports which men made of
their talks with their family physicians
to the danger Of locating the pesthouse in
close proximity to the City Hospital is
proposed. Drs. Wagner, Pettijohn, j. B.
Long, Hasty Brennan. Schmidt. Courtenay.
Nichols and others were quoted as being
opposed to such a plan. Nicholas Kerr
spoke for DR.. Wagner, who, he said, had
declared that there was menace in the
close relationship of the two institutions.
DIR. Wagner, Mr.. Kerr said, had also de-
clared that the proper place for the pest
house was on the old site. north Of Fall
creek, and If the county were to be searched
a better one could not be found. DR.. Wag-
ner's opinion was regarded highly by those
present, as he has had great experience
with the disease. AS n young physician he
attended patients during epidemic and
contracted the disease himself and was
treated in the old pesthouse. Under the
Taggart administration he was diagnosti-
clan for two years in smallpox cases. DIR.
Nichols, who was formerly superintendent
of the City Hospital, and DIR. Courtenay,
who was formerly police surgeon. were re-
garded as good witnesses for the remon-
strants.
stating the position of the remonstrants
and their reasons why the pesthouse should
not be located near the hospital The first
reason was that the location of the pest
house i'm a thickly populated part of the
city was a menace to general health; con-
tagious diseases should be isolated. The
second reason was:
Medical science has taught that per-
sons already suffering from disease and
whose bodies are in a more or less ema-
ciated condition are more susceptible to
new disease germs than persons who are
we'll and healthy The location of a pest
house on the grounds now occupied by the
City Hospital would directly expose those
who are confined there by reason of other
diseases. Actual experience in this city
has shown this to be true, for IL is a
fact that when smallpox broke out in the
City Hospital it spread much more rapidly
in the hospital itself and also in the i'm
mediate neighborhood than in any other
part of the city. A hospital should be
kept as free as possible from dangerous
influences. and our sense of humanity
loudly protests against the exposure of the
citys sick to the dangers that would re-
suit from the location of the pesthouse on
this site"
The third reason was that the institu-
ton would be a damage to property, a
detriment TO the well being of the work.
ingmen and men of small means who had
established their homes without a thought
of such an institution being established
NJ aI
new location.
The resolutions and the circumstances,
now bearing about 1.6o0 names. will be
taken to Mayor Bookwalter this morning
The committee named for this purpose is
composed of Messrs. Reinhardt. Kahle,
King. Walsh and Evans. Another COM
mittee 10 secure legal advice in the event
of the necessity of Injunction proceedings
was composed of Messrs. kahle, Dugan,
Kerr, Zimmerman and Reinhardt