The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-13

The tuberculosis Hospital
After wears of agitation, the dream OF all
enemies of tuberculosis in Wayne County seenis
about to come true. We now have prospects Oh
tuberculosis hospital Al
No county ever needed one more paoly'
this moment, one-seventh of all the urea sous
looking with dread into the shadows OF all nlli'ii-
nent grave are wasting with consump1ion' 0no
seventh Of all the hearses that wend their way
along Wavne County roads carry the remains left
by the ravages of this disease. One-seventn Oh
~ .o.s in our cemeteries mound over the dust
of those burned out by the terrible tuoercie
bacillus. -,
And the worst of it is not that these ole.
Death is not terrible. The worst is that they
needlessly die! ~
Tuberculosis is a preventable disease 1hat
means it is a disgraceful disease: not d'sgracelol
always to the individuals who fall It's Vlctlms' ou'
to the community that doesn't take the simple
necessary steps to abolish 1t.
Tuberculosis is durable disease when under
taken in time Scores of those now IN It's tolis
will 90 to grave which they do not deserve DE-
cause they are not being properly cared 1or
prominent physician said to us recently
"Only fraction of tuberculosis patients are careo
for SCIENTIFICALLY in Wayne County. nat
means that thousands have died needlessly" We
need tuberculosis hospital. No community IN
the world needs it more badly. But just because
,ye mood # as much as we do, we should take the
utmost care to see that whatever we build is
BUILT RIGHT.
THERE IS DANGER THAT THE HOS
PITAI NOW PROPOSED WILL NOT BE BUILT
RIGHT!
n ho inaH 81
eauipped Unless patients are treated with the
best modern appliances and methods, they might
almost as we'll stay at home. Modern appliances
for treating tuberculosis are very costly. 1t
would be folly to invest $4,000 in floors and
walls and only a mere bagatelle in equipment
That would give us mere shell and not
hospital.
There is danger that it will be inadequatey
maintained. A larger percentage OF tuberculosis
patients are in charity wards than those suffer
ing from other disease because consumption is OF
long duration and of consequent heavy expense
They must have plenty of warm clothing ano
above all an abundance of good, rich food. These
things cost money. A tuberculosis hospital can
not be maintained the same standard as tht
pest house the poor farm.
There is danger that the FOLLOW UP worl
will not be provided for. That is one of the mos
important things in fighting tuberculosis. Few
patients remain longer in hospital than is abso
lutely necessary. When they begin to feel better
they get homesick to get back to their families
If the hospital doesn't follow them up and con
tinue it's supervision, all it's previous efforts vii
count for nothing.
Above ALL there is danger that local man b
made superintendent in connection with his prac
tice. THIS WOULD KILL THE WHOLE UN
DERTAkING! No local practcing physical
would receive the united support of the profes
sion in this county No physician could do justic
to the hospital and his work at the same time.
If we don't that these things provide
for in tuberculosis hospital, might we
pour our money into rat hole.