The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-05
|DR. EAVES DESCRIBES 4 MORNING VISIT ID TUBERCULOSIS CAMP Brings Words of Cheer on Great Work Being Done
 Beyond Mountain SEVERAL ARTICLES
 ARE BADLY NEEDED Pays Tribute to Worth of New sNurse and Matron Now in Charge.
 Name to Be Chosen
 for Camp
To the Editor of The Age-Herald:

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Yesterday morning. in pursuance of cer- tain duties, soon after $ o'clock, I bent my steps toward that road across Red mountain which lies about opposite Twen- ty-fourth street, intending to. breakfast with the patients and see how they fared in the camp of Jefferson County Anti-Tu- berculosis association. For there is a new nurse and matron now In charge. and the process of new adjustments is us- ually both interesting and problematical.
 If there is anything more beautiful in the world than the scenery on the ex- qnisite ridge which bounds our Birming- ham on the south l do not know where to find 1t. Such an early morning walk when spring is hastening onward to sum- mer fullness, and the trees are so deli cately green and the Towering shrubs and brambles ablaze with glory, Is not only a fine appetizer, but most healing to the spirit. Even the dash of desoation, where a hickory tree had fallen across the highway and pressed down the telephone wires, has a share in this powerful ap- peal to the nature element that turks in us all the primitive woods dweller and huntei. l commend that walk to persons suffering from nervous dyspepsia as a fine matutinal exercise. And though cannot invite everyone to breakfast, also commend to every Birmingham per son visit to the camp that they may see for themselves the progress being ac- complished and perchance find some way in which they can further assist the good work
 Promptly at o'clock, by invitation oi the matron, I sat down to good, whole some end abundant breakfast, served on pated in by very cheerful little crowd Alas, there were seven patients to whom breakfast was being carried on trays be- cause they must lie still.
 Someone will say, But weren't you afraid of infection? Weren't you afraid of the bugs? Bugs is a far easier word to say than tubercle baeilli,' but it means the same thing. And I answer, By no means. For there is no place quite so safe from the bugs as the place where we make a speciality of killing them. Good food Is an important part of the life defense which is quite successfully being
 
 tahle. I especially rejoiced also in the atmosphere of cheerfulness and mutual helpfulness and comradeship. There are three beautiful little girls there, from 10 to 15 years of age: bright, clean and happy-looking, and I hope getting well. At least one of them is there through having had to nurse her mother in the same trouble, and is as much a heroine as any of the famous ones who went down on the Titanic.
 My errand was to look over the camp equipment, for things will wear out, and many improvements will have to be in troduced immediately One of the least, but most pressing necessities is a good and much larger kitchen range, with means of heating considerabe quantities of water. Another is water pressure. l mention the range in the hope that some kind reader of The Age-Herald may be moved to furnish it.
 I noted also the need for dust proof shelves for books more books and plenty of really good magazines. Ornamental shrubs and flowers would greatly help. Perhaps some girls class in Sunday school will inquire at our city office to know how they could prove sisters Of the little people who are out there and perhaps too often homesick. Be 1t ob- served however. that young lady pa IltnI IS DebullinE tht tiiht py eNoehiA'o the girls the mysteries of piano playing and a little schooling is going on.
 I desire to congratulate the association and the public on the acquisition of Miss Malone, the new matron, a lady of method and Christian spirit and wide experience in handling tuberculosis cases and insti- tutions We may look forward to grow ing success amid the increasing oppor- funities of reaching those who are in the
 ne ryan al px pausfon of the plant to reach more com nrehensively the more advanced cases. where much of the advantage is the check on infecting of others.
 closed my visit with a brief stand on the corridor. where the "ambulant pa tients gathered near the rooms where a few were bed-ridden. Good cheer was evident and I bear witness to the splen- did cooperation of matron and the young men patients who were filling the unex- pected lack of cook. One of these has really been cured at the camp during the past three months. and he was very not ably worth saving. Give us chance, and this splendid climate yields results that are often quite out of reach in Colo rado but are within reach here. If some, however were unable to be up and doing. even on them a spirit of confidence and fearlessness was evident.
 How much better TOT tnese 10 pc lyin@ there in the beautiful, quiet. clean. coun- tr,, air than in some cramped room down town. where their existence would be peril to others. and where it would be impossible to give them one-tenth Of the comfort or care that they obtain now
 A little later in the day I met with stalwart. ruddy young man. busy and alert. who told me that he was dis charged patient and who gave Dr. Lull a very cordial greeting in acknowledgement of his splendid recovery. It is only right and fair to the association and it's friends that facts like these should be generally known.
 By way of concluding this long letter I should add that the executive commit tee contemplates giving the camp name and will shortly submit the question to it's constituency. GEORGE EAVES, Assistant Secretary Anti-Tuberculosis As
 sociaton of Jefferson county.
 Birmingham, May 4. 1912