The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-11-18
A CHANGE
IN METHODS
For Management OF The State
SanatOFium
Proposed At A Meeting Held
On Friday
By State BOafdSOf AdminiStra-
tiOn And Health
Health Board Wants JuriSdiC-
ton Over Admissions
And 0ncfpinfionc Iiffnd I'm
And Restrictions Lifted On
The Free Patients
columbus Dispatch)

An important conference was held
at the rooms of the state board of ad-
ministration Friday morning between
members of that board and officials of
the state board Of health. The con-
ference was called by DR.. E. F. Nc
Campbell, secretary of the state board
of health, and had to do with the man.
agement and future of the state hos
pital for tuberculosis at Mt. Vernon.
An investigation extending over sew
eral weeks has been conducted by the
state health officials, and it is believed
that if drastic changes are made in
the management of the sanatorium bet
ter results can be obtained.
The most important recommendation
made regarding the institution is the
matter of pay and free patients. AT
present OILY ten per cent of the total
population may be admitted free. The
capacity is $50 patients and this per-
mits the admission of only Is free pa
tients, and this quota is always filled
up and there is a large waiting list.
The board of health desires this re-
striction as to the number of free pa
tients entirely removed, and instead of
the board of administration having
control as to who shall be admitted
this part of the institution shall be
under the control of the board of
health, which will be guided by the
department of tuberculosis of that
board.
1t is claimed and the board of health
some patients have been showing a
marked improvement in their condi-
tion, under treatment at Mt. Vernon
when their funds gave out and they
were turned out of the institution for
the simple reason that they could not
pay the rate of So per week, and the
quota of free patients was filled.
This can be remedied in the future,
according to the board of health, if
it is given jurisdiction over the ad-
missions. But to remedy this evil
the legislature will have to be ap-
| pealed to to modify the laws, as the
number OF free patients is fixed by
statute and the administration board
! has no power to change it.
Another thing that will be demanded
is that the city of Mt Vernon keep
| it's promise to improve the public roads
leading to the hospital and that street
car service be given to the institution.
Both of these things were promised be-
fore the hospital was located there,
but neither of them has been done. A
complete audit of the books of the COM
mission that had charge of the erection
of the hospital will also be requested
This has not been done since the in
stitution was completed.
The health board will request the
administration board to join it in hav-
ing the legislature so modify the laws
that the number of free patients can
be determined by the state board of
health, and the limitations which pre-
vail at present entirely removed. They
will also ask that the health board be
given medical supervision over the in
stitution in order that it can carry
out some definite plans which it has in
mind which it is claimed will benefit
the patients who are admitted.
For some time the Mt. Vernon hos
pital has received black eye from
the medical fraternity in general, and
one of the strongest claims for a
change in the management will be
that if it is turned over to the board
, of health insofar as the vital questions
are concerned, the opposition will be
eliminated and better results will be
obtained