The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-07
VERMONT NOT IN THE LEAD
state Needs More Accommodations
for Its tuberculosis Patients.

w. A. Eddy, a patient at the Yer
mont sanitarium is moved by reading
an editorial on The Crusade Against
tuberculosis" in one of the state pa
pers TO write a letter in which he
says:
THE panegyric was most finely
written, its egotistical strain was
everyw here predominant. That it
might be true; that Vermont might be
really in the van in the anti-tuDercu-
losis campaign was the desire nearest
the writer's heart.
However, let Us turn from the arti-
Gle and examine the facts of the
case. Is Vermont truly in the lead in
the fight against tuberculosis? Are
we doing all that is necessary or even
possible toward the eradication OF this
dread disease.
Through the generosity of the late
Redfield Proctor, a sanitarium for the
treatment of tuberculosis was opened
in December, 1907, at Pittsford This
sanitarium has accommodations for
between 80 and 40 patients. 1t is a
private institution; it is the Vermont
sanitarium in name only, being in no
wise under state Jurisdiction; IL is, in
stead under the control and direction
of self-perpetuating board of trus-
tees. The state has absolutely no
voice in its management; has nothing
whatsoever, to say as to who shall
or shall not be admitted.
by means of an endowment fund,
also provided by Senator Proctor, and
the income from patients, the institu-
ton is able to put 80 or 40 beds at the
service of tuberculosis patients. To
ward the maintenance of these beds
the state pays not a copper. Not a
single bed endowed by the state. Not
a pennys aid to single patient here!
And, yet, Vermont, according to that
very fine editorial, stands in the very
front ranks of the anti-tuberculosis
campaigners. To think that we
should thus try to build state repu-
tation upon private benevolence.
Now, for the cursory comparison
of this states work along these lines
with that of a few other states. Mary
land is expanding $275,000 for a new
state sanitarium which will accommo-
date $50 patients at the nominal cost
of so cents per day. There are six
other sanatoria, all of which are sup
ported by the state, municipal and pri-
vate charity.
1.-The Pennsylvania state South
Mountain Sanitarium' was made posi-
BILE by an appropriation of 100000 by
the Legislature of 1907. This sanitar-
ium is for citizens of Pennsylvania,
suffering from pulmonary tuberculo-
sis and unable financially to go to pri-
vate Senatorial There are accom-
modations for $50 patients and the
only charge is for laundry. Without
including the Philadelphia General
hospital, which furnishes 800 beds for
tubercular patients, all of which are
free, the White Haven Free Hospital
for Poor Consumptives, which has a
capacity for 200, there are in the state
of Pennsylvania about 700 other beds
at the service of persons suffering
from tuberculosis.
Massachusetts is also in the anti
campaign. The Massa-
chusetts state sanitarium at Rutland
accommodates $50 patients The leg
islature of 1907 provided for the APP
pointment of commission of nine
who should purchase sites, approve
plans, make contracts, select super
and supervise the con
struction of three sanatoria for tuber-
culoss patients, each sanitarium to
have accommodations for not less
than $50 patients Besides the sana-
toria already mentioned there are in
Massachusetts over 90 others giving
service to hundreds of patients.
"New York with its 40 and more
sanatoria, many of which are primar-
lily for the benefit of INDECENT suffer
ers, needs no comparison with Yer
monts scanty provisions for our in
digent tuberculosis patients.
"For anyone to say that Vermont
stands in the van OF the anti-tubercu-
losis army. would seem to show either
preiudiced point of view or a lack
of accurate information. To be exact,
Vermont as a state. stands so far back
in the procession that those in front
cannot be seen, and thus the road
seems clear. With only 25 state beds
in any manner whatsoever at the dis
posal of tuberculosis patients-and
those 25 beds in an insane asylum,
Vermont should rather hang her head
in shame, than to be spouting egotis-
tical panegyrics through the editorial
columns of one of her leading news
papers.
"That there is an ever increasing
need of more accommodations for tn
berculosis patients in this state needs
no proof"
This is a strong indictment against
us, but it is a good thing to be told of
our sfailings once in a while. But If
Mr.. Eddys letter will help to increase
the efforts against this dread disease,
it will have served a good purpose
Barre Times.