Evening journal., 1911-01-18

ditions as they exist and which the
public is ignorant Of, to Judge this
question. The public might be op-
posed to the erection OF a hospital of
this kind from the question OF ex-,
pense, and the fear that the tax rate
might be increased a trine. and may
continue to have this opinion until
these diseases enter their homes. It
must be remembered that the child
of the poor mother, in the slums, is
as dear to her as the child of the
ewalthy parent who receives all the
attention II desires. Not so with the
child Of the slums
This hospital is needed not for
those able TO pay for attention and
comfort for the sick, but for the poor
er classes. in the homes Of which,
there Is in many cases but one furn-
ished room and a half dozen children
huddled I'm one sleeping room. one Of
whom may be suffering with con-
tagious or infectious disease. Fathers
90 to and from work every day, sitting
beside mothers Of children in the
street car aud otherwise spreading
disease. What is the consequence?
Tho little brothers and sisters of the
sick child contract the sickness and
the father in his daily travels spreads
it. Would it not be better II the sick
child could have been removed to a
hospital and treated amid surround
ings that would quickly bring Il back
to health7"
Mayor Spruance's attention was
called to the fact that there was a
Municipal Hospital in Trenton, n. j.,
which was an elephant on the hands
OF the authorities there. The Mayor
smiled and said that Trenton was
fortunate not to have use for such an
institution and that the health Of that
city was so good.
Il have never seen the time in viii
mington," he said, when a hospital
Of this kind could not be used.
Opposes Farnhurst Site.
Mayor Spruance also was asked his
opinion relative to the proposition TO
make a hospital such as he suggests,
out of the Emergency Hospital ut
Farnhurst He replied that anything
almost would be agreeable TO him, but
he said IL would not be wise to have
city. The physicians. he said. would
be put 10 a great inconvenience IN
making a trip to Farnhurst perhaps
several times day I'm case of a
serious case.
"They could not do it," he said. "and
do Justice to their other patients"
The. Mayor called attention to the
ra,t th.t a ,,..,.,II 80 ,.r-4 a.. Ia. .
cent for medical attendance, the ply
sicians are not immune to disease and
removed to the hospital aud treating
them thore as they would In their own
homes, but under such better sanitary
surroundings. The Mayo further
called attention TO the fact that ply
sicians are not immu ueto disease and
can carry IL from one family to an
other and he cited. for Instance. a
doctor coming out Of a house. whore
there is a contagious or infectious dis
ease aud going into another house a
few doors away.
He concluded his remarks by say
ing that the hospital could be erected
I at "A very littleseXpense TO the city and
despite the fact that ltwo-thirds of his
labors went TO charity. he, as tax.
payer, would gladly pay "a little more
tax and have such an institution as
! he suggests.
You can't measure lives with dol.
lars and cents the Mayor said in
conclusion.
The diseases which would be treat
ed in a municipal hospital such as
Mayor Spruance advocates include
scarlet fever. diphtheria. smallpox
measles whooping cough and erysipe-
las, none of WHICH diseases will be
treated in'any of the local hospitals.