The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-28
AN INSTITUTION, THAT
DESERVES ASSISTANCE

Editor Star: The Florida State
Hospital for INDECENT Crippled Chill
dren was authorized by an act of the
Legislature of 1911. 1t is under the
supervision of the State Board Of
Health. $4,000 has been authorized
for building. The board now uses
wards in st. Luke's Hospital and in
Brewsters, in Jacksonville. Fifty-two
cases were treated during 1913, of
which four were carried over from
1912, and three were examined but
not admitted on account of lack of ia
cilities. DIR. Ray c.. Turk, in his re-
port to the state health officer, DR.. j.
Y. Porter, states: eve could do a
cilities for the care of these cases.
During the year past we have return
ed children to their homes untreated
because we did not possess adequate
equipment. We have refused to re-
ceive number of others for the same
reason. From an economic stand
point only, the conversion of twenty
dependent children into strong, self
sustaining, useful citizens would JUS
tify the state in building an ortho
pedic hospital and maintaining it for
ten years"
He suggests that the state "erect
ward for it's crippled children in con-
nection with the new st. Luke's Hos
pital on some such basis as the city of
Jacksonville provided ward for con-
tagious diseases" In my opinion, no
no INDECENT crippled child should be
| debarred on account of lack of funds.
The legislature should provide funds.
INDECENT, crippled children, when sue
cessfully treated are likely to become
self respecting men. When not so
treated, they are liable to grow up
depending on charity, or on crime. If
there is not enough from the special
levy for the state board of health, APP
preparations should come from the
funds derived from the convict lease.
The state pays many thousands of
dollars in witness and jurors fees and
in salaries for convictions. The
counties get every cent of the lease
money!. fully $275,O00 to 100000 a
year. Or the money could come from
the general revenue. This hospital
: should not be built as an adjunct to
St. Luke's Hospital. 1t should be
: built so that eventually it would be
the Johns Hopkins Hospital of the
: Southland. The state mill tax for the
state board of health is one-half of a
| mill. The valuation is approximately
$24O, 100000, turning in $4,000 year
; ly. The valuation is rapidly increas-
ing. That hospital should be built
: and built for the future. | have tried
to get some wealthy men to endow it
5 telling them | would endeavor to get
the legislature to change the name tc
f that of theirs. / will continue to try
| had a near relative crippled in in
Y fancy. | never see crippled child
without thinking of him. Since the
: establishment of this hospital, | al
ways stop and talk to the crippled
d one, white or black, with the view O
having him go to the hospital.
: recommended it's establishment. | ha'
the bills drawn up, one for the Sen
! ate and one for the House. The Sen
ate committee reported it adversely
s I wrote personal letters to 80 of tn
80 senators. I interested men VIII
: agreed to buttonhole the senators. Dl
Porter happened to come to Tallahas
: see, | got him interested. | became
part of the legislature. That bi
y passed the Senate with only 3 or
dissenting votes. | am for that hos
o pital It was the best thing done dun
ing my administration. Lets make
Y what it should be: The Johns HOP
kins Hospital of the Southland. n
/ INDECENT, crippled child should b
turned away for lack of funds.
lie Very truly yours,
Albert W. Gilchrist
IF Punta Gorda, Dec. 20, 1914.