New-York tribune., 1912-03-11
HOSPITAL TURNS AWAY
WOMAN HOPELESSLY ILL
Home for InCurabIeS Reluctantly
Does So, Because of Its
Limited Facilities.
MECHANIC NOW IN DESPAIR
Husband Faces Double Burden
of Caring for Sick Wife and
Earning Livelihood
Appeal for Funds.

Pale and gaunt. weary in mind ard
body and despairing Of the future, be-
cause Of the double burden of caring for
his stricken wife while plying his trade
for livelihood thrifty but discour-
aged American mechanic yesterday ap-
piled at the Home for Incurables, at
1880 street and Third avenue, for his
wlfc's admittance as a patient. With
great reluctance the medical superin-
tendcnt Dr. Israel c. Jones, had to re-
fuse his petition, because the institution,
the only one in the city which Is de-
voted exclusively to the care Of the hope
lessly afflicted. had not the room or fa-
cilities for another deserving case
The mechanics wife IS afflicted with an
aggravated case of cancer, and physi-
clans had pronounced her incurable.
She had been I'm hospitals and more eX-
elusive institutions without obtaining
any benefit. Her husband had finally
taken her home and endeavored to care
for her himself, with his limited means
He learned of the home and went there
after he had literally V orn himself out
with the weary vigil of many months.
THAT is a typical case-a most descrv-
ing one-and similar cases are brought
To our attention almost daily" said DR..
Jones. 1T is particularly hard to have
to turn such cases away, but our limited
accommodations and comparatively
small number Of endowed, or free, beds
compel us to do so in many instances.
II people were more alive to our work
and our needs | am sure 1t would Re
easy to extend it,"
Accommodates 800 Patients.
Dr. Jones has completed faithful ser
vice Of thirty-hve years with the insti-
tuition. He has seen il expand from "A !
humble beginning in small rented !
house in West Farms to the present |
home. which accommodates three hun |
dred patients. The essential purpose Of |
the institution is to afford a comforta- |
Bile refuge, with proper medical care, for |
incurabes. The atmosphere Of the spa
cious and well appointed buildings is
really homelike They are picturesque
" assembled at the top Of the hill on n
ten-acre estate with broad spreading
lawn sloping TO the street. The land was
the gift of the late Catherine Lorillarl |
Wolfe, in 1873.
The ideal of the founders and the
managers of the institution has been to
make it as much a free home as posi-
HE About one-t third of the present pa
tients are free patients. 1t is necessary
to require the other two-thirds to pay a
nominal rate in order to come anywhere
near meeting running expenses There
are a few private patients who can af-
ford to pay FOR special attention. Some
NJ the free patients now in the home
have been there for more than thirty
wears. At least half of them have been
there for ten years. The managers sell Il
dom escape a yearly deficit In 1909 II
was about 81 600. Last year it was
smaller. The home receives no city or
state aid.
While the home is at present on sub
s,antial financial basis. the board of
have been making recently a
particular appeal for larger endow-
ment in order TO afford the free beds so
much needed to take care of just such
cases as that of the mechanics wife.
Speaking OF the scope of the work and
the needs of the institution, Irving Paris
Cnnffuued on secoud |