The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-03
The City. Need of Hospital Facilities.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Smallpox seems to be agitating the public
mind more this winter than usual. This
doubtless is due to the fact that the city is
wholly unprepared to take care of con-
tagious diseases. AS rule cities are penny
wise and pound foolish. And Indianapolis
is no exception to the general rule. 1t is
an easy matter to get the public mind
worked UP on coliseums technical in
stitutes and army posts, which is right and
proper, provided 1t is not done at the
pense Of greater and more vital interests.
| The fact that a city's health is paramount
| to all other interests should never be lost
| sight of. The health of city and its free
dom from contagious diseases contributes
more to its business activity, it's general
| prosperity and desirableness as a place
| for permanent residence than any or all
other interests combined. The increase in
population depends largely on it's standard
OF health Educational progress hinges on
IL. Every man, woman and child VINO is
| mentally or physically disabled is an i'm
pediment to city's prosperity, welfare and
comfort. In fact all interests pivot on the
| health standard of city.
Indianapolis is destitute of means and
| measures to prevent or even care for small
| pox. Hospital facilities for the purpose
| seem never to have been seriously coDsid-
| cred. Why a matter of such serious i'm
port should be so grossly neglected is past
/ comprehension. The experience we are
| now passing through already has cost the
| business interests of the city a large sum
| of money, TO say nothing of the loss of life
and the stain it will leave on the name
would provide ample means to take care
| of any smallpox epidemic The only rea-
/ son can assign for the noticeable indiffer-
ence on the part of the city's managers as
regards the Health Department is lack
| of appreciation. L have already stated
| that a citys prosperity rests on its high
| health standard, but | want to emphasize
| its Importance. If this is true, then why
| this indifference? If they say Ii is the
| lack of funds. then l say this is not
| satisfactory answer. IL is the business OF
| the administration 10 have the funds, and
sufficient to meet all important de-
mands. Our people are ever ready
and willing to be taxed to main
| offering millions for health restoratives.
| No one will dare say that the millionaire's
| health is of more value than is that of
| the many. If they say a smallpox epidemic
/ cannot be prevented they speak without
| knowledge, and this view / contest. To
| those who understand the full scope of this
| subject it is clear that in order to prevent
| repetition the city will have to work in
| dead earnest: and the time TO start
is now. Evidently the first step is
| to secure the necessary hospital IA
cilities. Without these nothing. in
/ a comparative sense, can be accomplished.
| To meet the demands the building must be
|
/ and constructed on strictly scientific health
| principles. Anything short of this will be
| failure The matter of location is of no
moment. Even if il be your next-door
| neighbor it will be entirely unobjectionable
| With subjects of the disease living in the
| upper air stratum there exists no reasona-
| BILE possibility of communication with the
| surface. The virus will not fall below the
| dividing line. Even If ii should it will be
] so effectually changed that infection will
| be an impossibility This is in the direct
| line of obtaining and holding complete con-
/ troll of the disease. Again, the tendency
| will be to greatly reduce its mortality. The
| open door, pure, strong air treatment is
| peculiarly adapted to this class of cases
| But this is not the place TO discuss this part
| of my subject. matter of such vital i'm
| port as that of a city's health cannot be
| casually set aside. The maintenance of
| city's health should take precedence over
| every other interest connected with its man
agement.
For one l am disposed to hold this adj
| ministration, as we'll as former ones, re-
| sponsible for the losses the city sustains
| as the result of this class of diseases. The
| legal side of this question decline to con-
| slider, but am of opinion that ii has one.
| Why, for incompetence and negligence, the
rule of action that applies to the individual
| in such matters should not apply with equal
| force to city officials 1 fail to comprehend.
| j. A. COMINGOR.
| Ird;o,aDolic Fob