Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-13
FOR IN DIGEN T SICK
RELATION OF TUBERCULOSIS
HOSPITAL TO MUNICIPAL.
Statement by Commissioner Macfar-
land-Hundreds of Cases Requir-
ing Immediate Care.

In discussing today the events which
went before the final determination of Con-
gress to establish municipal tuberculosis
hospital in Washington, the completion OF
plans for that institution, which will be a
matter of the near future and the re, alton
of the tuberculosis hospital to the general
municipal hospital for the INDECENT sick.
commissioner Mcfarland said:
Congress met the repeated recommended
lions of the Commissioners of municipal
tuberculosis hospital by appropriating $780,
600 for such a hospital, directing that ii be
erected on the tract bought by the Com
missioners on BrightWood avenue four
years ago under the direction of Congress J;
as a site for general municipal hospital.
At that time Congress also appropriated
s.. 900 for plans of general municipal hos
pital primarily for chronic cases such as
private hospitals will not take, and to re-
place the makeshift hospital between the
Jail and the workhouse, which is the only
place for the chronic sick poor at present.
Congress was not willing to provide for the
general municipal hospital at that time be-
cause of the large expense, and has de-
ferred action ever since, although the Com
missioners have represented every year the
urgent necessity for such a hospital They
have dwelt especially upon the imperative
need of wards for tuberculosis cases not
only for the sake of patients. but to isolate
them from the community, for its protec-
tion from the white plague"
1t is estimated. Commissioner Macfar-
land said today, that there are several hum
dred cases among the poor which ought to
be in the hospital. and several hundred
more almost as needy.
Considering Expenditure.
The Commissioners are considering how
best to expend the hundred thousand dol
lars so as to bring the largest number pos
sble into the best type of modern building
CT fhar,
with Mr.. Frank Miles Day of Philadelphia
president of the American Institute of Ar
chitects. and an expert In hospital construc-
ton. as to the questions involved, and par
ticularly. the suggestions made by the board
Of charities in report by Dr. George NJ.
kober ard Secretary George 8. Wilson Mr.
Day gave the Commissioners his views and
approved in principle the suggestions of the
board OF charities. The Commissioners will
take action to obtain plan in day or
Under the act they cannot utilize the
plans Tor the general hospital. Commission
er Macfariand said today that the necessity
for the general hospital was as great as
ever, and would become more apparent as
soon as the Home for Aged Men and wo-
men was removed from the Washington
Landing Then there would be nothing
| left in the neighborhood Of the only muni-
cipal hospital provided for the chronic sick
poor. whom other hospitals will not take at
all, except that between the Jail and the
workhouse. He said he believed that when
the community realized what a poor make
shift this was and how cruel 1t was to
| thus treat the suffering who had commit
| ted no crime and yet had to associate
with criminals. the sick workhouse con-
yicts of necessity being cared for In that
hospital side by side with the respectable
poor. 1t would insist upon adequate and de-
cent provision. which could best be made
| In a general municipal hospital on the
Brightwood avenue site purchased for that
purpose.