The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-05-02

islature, and not one cent directly to
prevent, relieve or cure tuberculosis
among human beings. An obvious
inference might be drawn-it is safer
to be hog than a human in Florida
The pig receives official recognition,
the tubercular patient does not, ex-
cept through statute authorizing the
Board to provide no funds for the pur-
pose.
However, FloHda's expenditures
for the health of her citizens and for
her domestic animals is large COM
pared with that of the United States
in general. The annual income de-
rived from the one-half mill tax on
all the assessible property in the
State for the funds Of the State
Board of Health, amounts to about
seventy-hve thousand dollars, or APP
proyimately ten cents for every man,
woman and child in Florida. The
largest appropriation ever made by
the Federal Government in one year
to conserve the health interests of its
citizens, was one million dollars. This
was in 1893 to meet the emergency
or threatened epidemic, or about one
cent per capita. But this same Fed
eral Government through it's Depart
ment of Agriculture, eXpends unlim-
tied sums for the study, prevention
and cure of diseases among the lower
animals and plant life.
There are in Florida some $4,000
persons, resident and nonresident,
who are affected by tuberculosis in
some of its stages and forms. Some
of them are durable, some are in the
advanced stages, but all of them
might be relieved to some extent by
proper treatment. Approximately
forty per cent of these cases are in
digent, they are dependent for assis-
lance on outside sources. In many
cases the patient is the support of
the family, which, when he becomes
incapacitated by the advance of the
disease for further work, increases
the number Of dependents upon pub
lie or State assistance.
1t is the opinion, emphatically
stated by several members Of the
State Board of Health, and by other
prominent physicians, that nothing is
gained by sending tubercuar patients
10 Colorado or other high elevations
for treatment Of this disease, when
Florida'S pine woods air is as cura-
tive and heaIthful as any atmosphere
II the world. Such Punishment Sc
parates the patient from his friends
when he needs them most, it entails
large expense and it takes him away
from any possibility of aid from or
through the State Board Of Health.
1t is among the possibilities that
a sanitarium might be operated in
Florida, under the direction of the
State Board, wherein provisions could
be made for The treatment Of ind
gents under competent supervision,
IN the open air, in Sanely ordered
camp among the pine forests and with
strengthening food and pleasant oc-
.upation. Indeed, such a sanitarium
las been one of the dreams Of the
State Health Officer for years. The
lream came near being realized a
lew years ago, but its accomplish
nent was spoiled by the State Legls-
ature.
The story is an interesting one and
somewhat instructive. This worthy
officer has always believed that the
JCard should have on hand at all
ines a fund of at least one hundred
thousand dollars, with which to meet
emergencies arising from unforeseen
nd unforseeable epidemics and the
Ike. From the annual income ali5-
NO from the half-mill tax, the board
! mad managed to accumulate some
ching like one hundred and thirty
thousand dollars, and it planned to
use a portion of this result Of eco
nomical administration IN the crea.
ton of a santarium for the treat.
ment of INDECENT tubercular patients
1t had gone so far as to select {
beautiful site at Narcoossee, neal
Kissimmee, and to draw plans for it!
proper improvement, when the Leg
lslature of 1909 transferred sixty
thousand dollars from the accumu
lated fund to the depleted pension
fund. And no subsequent LegisIa
ture has ever returned this diVerte'
money. Rather discouraging, isn't 1t
Consequently, there is in Florida NJ
sanltafium Ior tne treatment .e,, oi IN
= twenty thousand lnulEent ana ''' !,
less IuoeFCuiar PaII IT So .I,;s -, -
, Whom are o!'HE loI i"'N VI ''''' o.
Si"tahcG' ,-:.,..,,,. g 1o,o :. no,
AS the LEGISLATURE Oh L2II - no ~,
IN session thefe i? . an l,'I'"eo''''e W
poTtunlIy Tor [e E,,., ,,,l o.4ranf.,
II Ihe lSslsla'ure rI %oGu a. t'", NV e. e.
tne otate Pooru , u tlg t;o,+ 70 ' Io
hdIgent luoeF'ul" J j P@I1ti'JS fa. .'$ nd
mas aul!o.L i an ~, el tbo+ ~ m ',
4 se'!1 NilPP'lu I{au ,,,,,a .,,G3o;,,
y to warrant the erection of sanlt'
o rum for their treatment, to arran2
!, for their care at Puoiic expense