The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-20
NOVEL USE. FOR 0lD
New YORK FERRIES
Popular Old Ferry Boat, South
field" is Day Camp For "
ConSumptives:.

- - ,,
Scientific Societies of New York
Find Good Use For Old
Ferry Boat.
y
NEW YORK., July 1s.-The old
Staten Island ferry boat "Southfield''
has been cleaned up Sand moored at
the dock at the foot ofasWest Sixteenth
street on the North river, where it is
now being used as day camp for con-
sumptives. With tfained nurse in
charge, regular visiting staff Of ply
sicians, an abundance of milk and eggs
and steamer chairs and h hammocks in
which to sit out Of doors and watch
the passing river hcraft 50 men and
women are keeping cool and getting
back their health and strength.
The boat was put at the disposal of
the Committee on the Prevention OF
tuberculosis of the Charity Organiza-
tion Society by Commissioner John A.
Bensel Of the Department of Docks
and Ferries. Since the department has
been operating its new boats on the
Staten Island ferry Sthe "southheld''
has not been running an d the COM
missioner therefor was able to give
his hearty support to the plan that
was put before him to permit the boat
to be used as day camp. under the
strict medical. supervision of the
tuberculosis committee ana at the
committees expense The boat was
thoroughly cleaned. water closets, a
stove and an ice chest were put in,
several dozen steamer chairs and a
few cots were bought, a trained nurse
was engaged and then the camp was
ready for patients.
These patients are sent tc the boat
after being examined and passed by
the physicians in charge Of the Associ-
ated Tuberculosis. tDispensaries to
which any one desiring this treatment
may go for this purpose After exam
ination, if the APPLICANT proves to be
able to- be up and around and Is not
running temperature, a-card Of ad-
mission to the boat IS given and there
after each day the patient goes through
the regular routine beginning with the
taking Of temperatures and weighing
at 9 o'clock in the morning and ending
at o'clock in the Afternoon when all
go to their home Except a few men
patients who stay I all night. Fresh
milk and eggs are given in abundance,
~eaeh patient taking from three to
,1eight eggs and from three to eight
glasses Of milk daily. other food, except
snrAad ard butter, +hat tea. or coffee and
asscooked7 egg, whi1 are given but at
noon, being brought by the patients
themselves. One each week; the COM
m1ttee' In charge meets on the boat.
the medical members of this, commit
te serving each two weeks in turn as
visiting physicians.
In speaking about the boat a mem-
Der OF the committee said: "A good
many people realize now that fresh air
and medical oversight are needed to
cure tuberculosis, but in long, mar
row, congested place like the Island Of
Manhattan how is this fresh air to be
had? There are not parks enough to
go round and is daily trips to the
great open spaces in the Bronx are
out of the question for the ordinary
SICK .consunptive who can't take the
time and the money to do this. We
looked into this matter carefully, some
time ago, several good sites having
been very generously offered to us.
but We considered them too far from
our base Of supply, the crowded tene-
ments where tuberculosis Is bred.
Then some old buildings that the
city had condemned were about to be
put at our disposal, but we could MT
get any assurance but that we might
be put out right after putting in i'm
provements extensive enough to be
expensive to us with our limited re-
sources and SO we had to give up that
idea. We then thought Of the water
front and found mighty helpful ally
IN Commissioner Bensel and it was due
to his interest and broad view Of
things that we now have our camp in
full swing aboard the good boat
'southffeld.' It was something of a lob
to clean her up a9d fix things as we
needed them, but 1t was we'll worth
while. If and one doubts it, let him
go down ana see for himself.
The patients are putting on pounds
and the color Is coming back in whit.
ened cheeks in most, wonderful man.
ner. Now and then a good friend
sends us some cruit, magazines or
fowers and with these ard the extra
diet and good fresh air our patterns
are 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 1mpos-
sibility OF getting fresh air in our
tenement districts, and there is no
doubt but what that is all too. true,
have we not the means ready at hand
ling ou' large water front or on our
bay to provide resting places where
our 10000 consumpttves and our thou
sands OF other needing fresh air can
get this absolute essential to cure %
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