Arizona republican., 1907-01-07

when II mailed fun letter on this
subject to each of the $500 physicians
in New York city and TO many medical
and law papers. Similor letters to ali
physicians within their local spheres
OF influence sent this year by all the
tuberculosis committees and associa =
tiOns in the country, the same letters
repeated next wear and then again
more letters. would do much. we have
no doubt. to put a stop to a practic=
as unwise medically, as it is improper
charitably."
In the succeeding number Of CHAR
ties and The Commons" there appear
ed the following from a correspond
ent:
To the Editor: In the issue of Char
tiles and The Commons for Oct. -
there appeared letter from c. c.
Gilchrist. Of the Associated Charities
of Phoenix. Ariz.. to Jacob Riis. upon
the subject Of handling INDECENT tu-
berculosis patients. The editorial sug-
gestions published I'm that issue ara
unquestionably good as there is a
great deal of good work being done i'm
the care and cure of these unfortu-
mates in almost every part OF the Unit
ed States. However. | wish to Offer
Il suggestion which / think might help
to clear the situation if followed. Tho
question OF handling these patients is
not local one. 1t is not restricted TO
Phoenix or to Arizona or TO Ohio or
to New York. II is a broad national
question and ought to be handled after
the manner of national affairs. | think
the federal government should take up
this matter. l think the government
should establish and operate national
hospitals-as large and as many as the
needs require. | do not know thai
our government has ever done any
thing of the sort. DO know that we
have national marine hospitals. peni-
tentiaries. experiment stations in agri-
culture &c.-that these institutions arc
conducted upon scientific principles
that they are very costly and that they
go far toward accomplishing their re-
spective purposes. Why then. should
not the government take care Of the
matter under consideration?
The cost would not be an obstacle
as ii would be very small as compared
with other federal institutions The
question is surely one Of national char
acter. as the disease is found through
out the entire country. II has beeI
shown by modern forms Of treatment.
and prevention. that il can be greatly
reduced. II is a form Of disease
which frequently calls for the trans
portation of a patient from one state
to anOther-and often. as shown-be-
coming a burden upon \ community
not in any way responsible for him o.
for his condition. a community alread;
burdened to the utmost
The national character of the ques-
ton having been established / do not
think it necessary to discuss the posi-
bilities Of carrying this plan out. DO
not believe there would be half 4 dozen
members of congress who would with
hold their support from a bill to estab-
fish one or more such hospitals.
The government could and should
90 even further. Stations should b,
in every city in the United
States where sufferers could be thor
Dughly and carefully examined as near
heir own homes as possible, and ar
angements made for their reception
II suitable points before they set out.
The German government treats this
natter in the same way / believe. and
We cannot err very much if we folio 81
he German example in many of these
questions. The Jewish people have es-
ablished a National Hospital for Cor
iumptives at Denver. which is doing
grand work in taking care Of patients
rom all over the country who have
'een examined and certified for at or
near their homes.
1t seems to me that It will only be
to call attention to this view
# the situation through the columns
# Charities and The Commons. - |
'ring it to the attention Of our repre-
entatives in congress and bring about |
/ great good TO all the people of our |
COUNTRY.
]. c. G.
Columbus. Ohio. $50 Dryden Road.