Evening journal., 1914-01-17
CITY HOSPITAL
AGAIN URGED
BY DR.. ROBIN
In Letter to Mr.. Bancroft,
Practitioner Points Out
Value of Institution
HOPES MAYORS CABINET
WILL CONSl Err PROJ CT

the Mayors Advisory Board has ap-
proved OF the hospital, the letter is
interesting. II follows:
Wilmington, Del. Dec. IL, 1913.
Mr. William p. Bancroft, City.
My Dear MI. Bancroft Referring
agais to our recent conversation rela-
tive to the Municipal Hospital for
contagious diseases, / wish to lay be-
Core you the following facts:
/. The spread of contagious dis
eases can be prevented by proper
isolation OF the sick. !
2 The present system OF quaran- /
tine does not accomplish that end for !
the following reasons:
(a) Among the poor, where the /
Necessity for proper isolation is the /
greatest, the sick child is generally /
kept in the kitchen with the other |
children and also comes in intimate |
contact with the boarders ana such /
visitors as disregard the placard on |
the door.
90. The Board of Health has no
means of enforcing strict quarantine
(cl Were Such means available. the
family would have to be supported and
cared for by the cit.
ldl The fear of a placard leads TO
roncealment of the disease if the nature
OF it is suspected by the parents.
g. The present system. while admit
tedlv inadequate. places al additional
burden on the stricken fanny. burden
which the poor cannot and should not
carry. Many physicians. therefore, not
wishing to place this burden on the poor,
do not report the cases OF contagious
diseases.
8. The present system has been re
peatedly pronounced a farce by mem
bcrs of the Board OF Health. who are IN
{ the best possible position TO know the
facts.
>. former Mayor and Council,
realizing the absolute need OF a Mimi
cipal Hospital. went so iar IS to secure
from the Legislature an act enabling
them TO borrow sufficient sum %,
money. and also secured provisional
nlans iron an architect The Mayors
o,hee has ON lie considerable number
s., letters from prominent physicians,
urging the establishment OF Aiuniei-
9al Hospital
brit recital OF a few instances
which came under my personal obser-
cations win amply illustrate che points
have made.
case of scarlet fever on West
second street. The child was kept
IN the diningroom the father, who
,t ended tn child walked in and out
II the house, coming freely IN con-
act with the children Of the neighbor-
God. owing to tho necessity to help
ais wife to take care of the child, ne
nsf an his savings and had TO be as
sted Ly charity.
Sc of diphtheria over Ihird
treat bridge The child kept IN the
T i,ttcheu which was also the dining
,oom for half a dozen boarders. AT
he time of my visit the sick child
Mas carried about the room by its
isther. expectorating freely on the
rcor. This child died for want Of
nreoer care Another child in the
same house contracted the disease
aud also died for the me reason.
B. A case OF diphtheria ~ poor
German gamily. TIE SICK Gull
three otner children ana the parents
slept in one bed. As soon as inc
chil0 Tel, little better It mingled
freely with the other children In the
ueighbOrhOod, despite the piacard Oh
The door
A. A case OF scarlet fever on Wai-
nus street The mother had to take
care OF four other children, and the
case being mild. the sick child was
permitted to run around outside. The
enclosed photo shows the entire ram.
lis. including the scarlet fever child
outside the placarded house. The
skin eruption is stir cen on the lit
tie girl.
). A case OF scarlet fever in Tho
home of a small shopkeeper. The
nlacardins of the store would nave
meant ruination OF the family withou
commensurate benefit TO the com
munity. The case was not reported.
could cite number OF simlial
cases but they would prove no mor'
than the above. and / am sure tina
every physician in this city could re
late similar experiences.
A Municipal Hospital would solv
the problem at once. In any case il
which proper quarantine would be i'm
possible at home, the sick could be re
moved to the hospital. For the pres
ent a private dwelling with q matrol
in constant attendance would be sui
fcient. The children OF the poo
should be attended by the county ply
sicians or q staff OF volunteers VIII
Auight desire such position for th
ieXperience they would gain. Th
children of those able to pay coul
have their own medical attendsn
Such proposition would entail tn
'oilowing expense:
J. 4 houscSeeper. free rent and S3l
rcr annlun.
>. 4 superintendent. 5000 per annul
3. A trained nurse. s4OO per annum
:. Maintenance $50 per day p
atient.
II is thus seen that at cost of abol
1000 per year the city could care f.
i contagious diseases in Il proper al
ale manner
As most physicians have AUTOMOBILE,
such a hospital could be we'll locate
nltside the citv. although there is M
ihc slightest danger from such an j
stitution anywhere. As matter
fact no one thinks of the danger
having cases OF contagious diseases
private homes throughout the elf
Most Of such cases are very imperfect
quarantined. In a well-regulated
stitution the slightest danger is abs
'ltcly eliminated. The wind may ear
ibont bacteria when they are permitt
to be at large. but the modern nur
ocs not permit these germs 80
hout
Hoping that YOU viii sake this matt
fr seriously at til, next meeting oi q
Naror's cabinet j remain