The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-12-20
TUBERCULOSIS
INSTITUTION
Freeholders Should Provide Hos
pital, Says Delegation Of
Madison Citizens.
WHITE PLAGUE IS SPREADING

The need Of tuberculosis hospital
10 Morris county was called to the at
tention OF the Morris County Board of
Freeholders, in session Wednesday. by
letter from DR.. Peter S. Mallon, first
assistant physician at the Morris
Plains State Hospital, and By a dele
cation Of Madison citizens headed by
Physical Director Stacy h. Betzler, Of
the y. M. G. A., and including the
Rev. George Mooney. the Rev. Joseph
n. Blanchard, DR.. William G.. McCor-
mack and VI Fl. Barton, OF the Madi-
son Board Of Health; also W. !. g. Small
wood. secretary Of the State Anti
tuberculosis Society.
DR.. Mallon, as president OF the Nor
| ris County Medical Society, urged up-
on Dr.. Gnstav A. Becker, the director
OF the Board OF Freeholders, the neces.
tsity Of establishing a tuberculosis hos
pital.
The Rev. DIR. Mooney addressed the
Board, pointing OF the need Of staying
the rayages OF tuberculosis and urging
that immediate steps be taken for car
| ing for the cases. That permanent
building was needed, not a temporary
structure he declared. He told Of two
boys in Madison who are suffering from
the disease, and told the freeholders
that under the law Madison could send
boys TO the Hudson County Tuber-
culosis Hospital and send the bill for
their board, Sl4 per week each, to the
Morris County Board for payment.
''If all the municipalities in the,
state SHOULD do this it would entail
tremendous expense upon the county,
said Mr.. Mooney. land as matter OF
business you should see it is better to
at once establish hospital. /"
Secretary Smallwood told the free
holders that Morris county, with
population of about SO, 900, has seventy
deaths annually from the disease and
that there are at least 200 cases in the
county. ut is impossible to get these
people into hospitals, y said the speak
or, "they are driven from pillar to post
i and place must be found for them.
| would advocate not a temporary
structure, but a permanent building
with one hundred beds is wanted. A
building with fifteen beds would cost
S3S, 900, while building with one hun
dred beds would be cheaper in proper
tion to the capacity. For hospital OF
| so beds the cost OF maintenance would
be about 81 per patient Hudson
county is charging from sl2 to Sl4 per
week for patients outside Of the county
and five dollars for its own county resi-
dents.
DIR. Mccormack told of several cases
under his observation and the difticul-
ty he experienced in getting place TO
take them. This disease should have
isolation to be eradicated," said the
physician, cit is spreading in Madison,
and know Of fourteen cases walking
the streets and breeding contagion.' .
Mr.. Betzler told the freeholders the
delegation represented no faction, but
the whole community, and after thank
ing the embers for their attention he
asked that something at least be done
for the two boys.
"There is an absolute need for some
thing Of this kind" admitted Free
holder Edward Neighbour, "but
think it inadvisable to take Immediate
) steps. This is matter that should
be agitated throughout the county
and expression of feeling secured from
the whole county before it becomes
the duty of this body to make the ap'
preparation"
"Do you recognize the right for us
to send these boys to the Hudson coun-
ty hospital at your expense ?" asked
Mr.. Mooney.
THAT Is matter / must refer to
counsel, replied Director Becker. "Il
such procedure was followed it would
bankrupt the county"
DR.. Becker explained that ne had
suggested to the Aims House commit
tee last summer that two shacks be
: built on the Aims House property for
the use of the wards of the county.
On motion Of Freeholder Geogre Es-
tier the matter was laid upon the table
| until the next regular meeting. when
! the new Board Of Freeholders will have
1t to wreStle with.