Arizona republican., 1904-11-23
An Unpunlshed CrIme.


 In an article in "Charities" on the health drifters," who come to the Salt River valley, MT. Frank D. Witherbee among other things draws scathing indictment oE the interruptions eastern doctors who send hopeless and penni- less consumptives to this region. As to the climate, MT. Witherbee rather overdraws the situation when he says that these conditions lead to a re- markabIe percentage of recoveries,' but let that pass. He travels close to the facts when he adds:
 But on the other hand there is an amount of social and spiritual suffer ing which is not generally understood. As a matter of fact a great many people go too late to be helped by any power on earth. A Phoenix physician has said that fully fCUr-fifths of the visitors are incurable.
 "Heedless physicians and relatives send patients to Phoenix alone and with scant means of support. The blundering argument is made that all the sick one needs is to get to that country and his condition will permit Of his doing light work, which he can
 
 incapacitated one is going to a country swarming with people looking for like chances. It is essentially a ranching communitcy, where the bulk cf the workers to be Of any service must be able to blow and SOW and reap and herd cattle often standing in water all night long to irrigate. What few chances there are for light work ought not to be accepted because they are too cOnfiRing.
 "The loca' fraternaI lodges, the churches, the county almshouse and the one free sanitarium are crowded to their utmost capacity year in and year out. Many a patient reaches Phoenix with his small capital ex- hausted by travelling expenses and finds himself dependent upon the re- sources of a community which has no interest in him and where he finds on many sides an almost hardened indif- ference to his pitiable need. This is not because residents of Phoenix are lacking in the finer feelings which prompt to charitable service, but be- cause the people of the east and mid dle west are, by their lack of fore thought putting upon them a burden which in no sense belongs to them. The supervisors say that the poor in the almshOuse cost the county $20OOO a year and three-quarters of this is spent in the care of ailing Consump- lives"
 When moneyless consumptives are sent to Arizona criminal wrong is inflicted upon them and a gross out rage is perpetrated upon the commun- fly to which they are sent. It is notorious fact that large numbers Of men and woman in the last stages of consumption are each year sent to Arizona and California with the delu- size hope held out to them that they can get well, when nothing can even prolong their days. Many of them have l barely enough means to reach their destination. Although the patient. if l in a hopeless condition, rarely realizes | his situation, it requires merely an in FteHigence above the line of stupidity ! for any doctor to recognize the facts. Nor is the average physician ignorant Of his patients financial status When. ! therefore, eastern doctors condemn i fatal sufferers to a heart breaking | exile among strangers, and in addition send them to die in a strange land without money. the criminal cruelty of the act cannot be adequately describ- ed. The conclusion is forced upon Ari- zona observers that there are some doctors in the states who would be mildly punished if they could be afflicted with consumption in it's last stages and then Iured forth by delusive advice to die thousands of miles from home and loved ones. For there is no explanation of their criminaIity be yond the. obvious explanation that when the money of their patient is about gone they are glad to be rid of the patient.