The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-11
TUBERCULOSIS in
CITY TENEMEN7S.
How Work Of Curing Those
Who Cannot Afford to. Stop Fl
Working.
EXPERIMENT is SUCCESSFUL
Stress Laid Upon Proper Dict
for Consumptivcs-How the
Work is Done.
Especial to The Times. Diapatch.)

~ !
NEW YORK. June 10-That tuberculosis
the scourge OF the tencments, can be
cured In the tenamcnts would have been
declared absurd ten yearslnso Then the
consumptive workng-inan. whose small
wages gave him no opportunity to shake
the dust Of New York from his feet and
bctake himself 10 some santorium in tho
Adlrondacks or Colorado, rega.'IAl him.
self and was regarded as doome1 Net
Tor him could a hospital ship be ms nned-
us Is nov being done-and sent TO the
eternal sunshine OF the polar summer.
1et there Is hope for he working mar; !.
Tor the thesis laid down seven years ago
mat cases of uncomplicated pulmonary
lubcrlos.s can be cured In New York by
dlspenssary treatment has been sustained
ny record OF Is cures. and more are
shortly TO be announced by the commits
the results of what has heretofore been
I regarded as an experiment.
Class in tuberculosis.
Twice day, early in tho morning
and after the days work is over. nifty
men and women I'll two small rooms
Graduate Medical School and Hospital.
q Sitting quietly on the wooden benches
ranged arouh. the bare walls and oc-g
casionally taking sip from an agate
cup they all seem SO cheerful and pros
porous that it Is difficult 10 realize that
they form Glass in tuberculosis and
that not long ago every physician In
the city would have predicted certain
death54to whoever Of them remained in
New York Mingled With those who bear
in FADE and attitude the unmistakable
evidences of consumption there are many
whose appearance Of robust health the
average observer might yell envy. Every
stage Of the disease is represented In these
rooms. from the newcomer. whose hone
OF life Is OF only a few weeks stand
Inc IN he NAT liant l.
ready been pronounced by the investigat-
Ing committee free from all signs of dis
ease and who now looks back upon MS
days nf consumption as the typhoid con-
valesccnt thinks Of his days OF delirium.
+ All however. have the same confidence
and the same determination to fight for
their health. sess
And fight they must II they are TO de-
rive any benefit at all from the treat
1nent. Living In their own homes. the
daily bread Az any OF the healthy toiers
e OF the city. tbs patients cannot be- forced
to get well against their will. The scales
y tell every Sunday morning whether, they
have been faithful or not. and there Is
short shrIft FOR those who have violated
the rules. To sleep In fresh air, or as
NIT, 10 avoid unnecessary exercises. 10 cal
those things which are prescribed and TO
avoid those things which are prohibited,
10 10 report ag, 70 the head nurse and e drink
a cupful of an emulsion OF fats, looking
to the unframed eye liz" rather thin nlk5
these are the prime duties OF the , Case IS
easy for the Sick and the poor, and 1t
needs force Of character TO go through
the months and years of treatment.
Realizes What It Means.
With his modest beverage in front OF
each member the dispensary rooms of ne
Post Graduate Hospital assume In the
q evening the air OF q club. None Or me
E patients is under any delnsion as TO the
( flIrn If
simple statement Is made: You have
consumption II you follow directions;
IL dropped from the class" This direct
view OF the case does more to induce
strict observance OF rules than It does 10
dcprcss the patients. Some Of the mem
bers inger a few minutes after their
cups are empty to chat with each othcr
or with the nurses. The old-timers well
on the road 10 recovery, are good
nored. the newcomers more quiet and
reserved. their attitude showing Their
weakness Sitting BY the side Of an
he trcatment. one whose sallow face was
only occasionally lighted by a faint smile;
was ruddy contractor whose VIE !, h iss
He had been In the class almost year
had already gained twenty-seven POUNDS;
q and though stu troubled wit a. q !. pa "a
cough, he declared that 1t was nothing 10
!. Harsh as il may seem, financial assist
ance cannot be rendered 10 the eb er rte In.
cvitabiy pauperizes them, breaks down
their will power. and destroys the whole
value OF the physicians efforts. They pay
nothing for the treatment, and they are at
Z liberty. If necessary, to borrow the money
to pay for their food, as many OF them
do; hut the authorities Of the Postcard
uatc Hospital arc compelled 70 be blind to
tho privations of the individual. One OF
the requisites for admission Is that the
patient must be financially independent.
Not many, as matter of fact are
able TO take 1t easy. The class Is not
for men with money to so where they
like and do what they want, but for
those who are tied to the city by the
necessity Of working for their living, men
selves with the FIVE quarts of milk or tho
fifteen or eighteen eggs required each day
is often all too hard. Not long ago q
tenement janitor found he had consump-
ton and got a place as a street car con-
ductor, hoping he might be benefited. lie