New-York tribune., 1907-08-04
OLD FERRIBOATS USED.
Day Camps for Consumptircs Is
LnbLxhcd on One of ILc1n-

The nI1 Staten Island ferryJoat SouthaolI has
been cleaned mp and mo0reG at the wharf at West
18th street. ON the North River. where il is now
being used as day camp for c'rsumptives Win
trained cisrg. Il regular VISITING starr
Of ri.Fsieians. an ahEHdanc" Of mi.F ana eggs and
steamer chairs ana HaWuurES in which 20 sit our
ot doors and watch the passing river craft --ff,-
men and women are keeping cool and gettina, back
their health and strength.
Tho boat put tu, disposal pf the C.o-.,-,,i-
toe ON the Prevention or Tuberculosis ~ the Char
Hy organization Society by Commission John ,
Heus,l of the Department of Docks and Ferries
since the department has been operating its new
boats ON the Staten Island ferry the S,frb+ar4
has not been running. and the Commissioner wa .
able - give his hearty support u the nlan rl5tr
put before him To- permit the boar r1 r.. ,rs.I
as day camp under the strict medical supervision
Of the tuberculosis committee and at the commit
toes "Nucus" The boat was tnorouEIl,v cleaned
closets " stove and an ice chest pat in. sev-
cJtl dozen steamer chairs and q few cots yy.r,
n"Hthi' trained nurse was engaged. and then
IN" camp was ready for patients.
These patients are sent To the boat after beir~
examined and passed by the physicians in charge
Of the Associated tuberculosis pispcnsarfss To
which any one desiring this treatment may 20 for
this purpose. After examinations n TN. lppIi,,rt
proves {" he able In be up and around and Is not
running temperature. % card Of admission q, rho
boat Is given and thereafter each day the patient
goes throush the regular routine. beginning with
the taking OF temperatures and weighing at .
ocock III IN" morning and ending at = O'Clock, f,
the afternoon when all go To their homes .,,.r, ,
few men patients. who stay all night Fresh min
and eggs are given in abundance. each patient tax
eight glasses OF milk daily. other food except Lre,
ana butter. hct tea coffee and a cooked 90
which are given out at noon being brought b,- tha
patients themselves once each week the commit
tee in charge meets the boat the medical mem
bers OF this committee serving each two weeks q,
turn visiting physicians.
In speaking about the boat a member NJ tn, ,o-
mlttee said; A good many people realize now
that fresh air and medical oversight arc needed .,
cure tuberculosis but In a long. narrow corcestet
place like the island of Manhattan how is mis-
fresh air TO be had? There are not parks enoush
10 so round, and daily trips the great omen
spaces In The Bronx are \out of the question for
the ordinary sick Consumptive who can't fake tho
time and the money 10 this We looked int
this matter carefully time ago several good
sites having been generously offered 10 us b,r We
considered them too far from our base of SUNNY
the crowded tenement houses where tubere1losis is
bred Then old buildings that the CITY, had
but we could not get any assurance that we would
not be put out right after putting in improve
ments extensive enough to be expensive 10 us With
our limited resources. and We had 10 give up
that idea.
We then thought of the waterfront ard found a
helpful ally in Commissioner Bensel and it was
que 10 his interest and broad view Of things that
we now have our camp in full swing aboard the
Southteld. II was something a Job to clean her
Up and fix things rceded them. but il was
Well worth while If any doubts it, let him go
down and see for himself. The patients are put
ting on flesh and the color is coming back in
whltened cheeks in Il most wonderful manner. Now
and then good friend sends some fruit maga-
zines flowers, and with these and the extra diet
and good fresh air. patients getting along
famously- There's an idea in all this. too. that's
worth giving a good deal of thought to- With all
our talk about the impOssibity of getting fresh
air In our tenement house distrcts-dnd there is
doubt but what that is all too true-have
the means ready at hand in large waterfront
on bay to provide resting places where
forty thousand COnSumptves and our thousands of
others needing fresh air can get this absolute es-
sential to cure?