Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-10
DETENTION WARD
URGED BY LEAGUE
FreehoIders Asked to Care for
tnsubordinate Patients at
Soho Hospital.

The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. League Of
the Oranges today sent letter to
the Board of Freeholders, asking that
detention ward for refractory and
insubordinate patients be established
in the Essex County Isolation Hos
pital at Soho. The league is inter-
ested in the case of man who Is
suffering from the white plague,
but who has been dismissed from the
isolation hospital because of his
drinking habits and there is no place
for him, 1t appears. The missive TO
the freeholders, signed-by officials of
the league, calls attention to the
dangers created by the dfpsomaniac
in his travels about the community.
The letter, in part. follows;
"The Anti Tuberculosis League OF
the Oranges desires to call the at
tention of the Board of Chosen Free
holders to case of tuberculosis
which is just now causing a great
deal of anxiety and for which 1t can
find no proper provision. since tne'
patient is source of constant danger
to the community. and since similar
cases are found from time to time
there appears to be need of an addl-
ton to the facilities at Soho.
THE case is that of a drinking
man affected with pulmonary tuber-
culosis. Through the agency of tins
league he was admitted to the state
sanitorium at Glen Gardner. After
being dismissed from that institution
the league secured his admission to
Soho. He remained there for some
time and was finally dismissed for
drunkenness and violation of the
rules. Later he was readmitted and
the second time dismissed for the
same offense.
"A short time ago our nurse found
the man living alone in two desolate
rooms in an advanced stage of the
disease and far gone In drink. I'm
able to work and without any means
of support he exists chiefly by hang
ing around saloons and looking TO
the charity of visitors to supply him
with drinks and the accompanying
opportunity for free lunch. He Is
pitiable object, and in his present
condition. going around among peo-
Pile, expectorating freely and taking
no sanitary precautions, he is I'M
doubtedly spreading the disease
broadcast. Broken in body and spirit
he is now anxious to go to any place
where he can be cared for.
1.-THE league and the authorities of
the city of Orange have made every
endeavor to have him readmitted to
Soho. but the board of managers after
carefully considering the matter has
decided that they have no facilities to
care for such a case without unduly
sacrificing the discipline of the hospi-
tai and the proper care of other pa /,
tients. There is no place in this !
county to receive him, and he remains
at large a distressing case in himself I
and a menace to all with whom he |
comes in contact.
I'VE urge upon your honorable body |
the pressing necessity of making i'm |
mediate. provision for such cases by
the establishment in connection with
the tuberculosis pavilion at Soho de-
tention ward where refractory and in
subordinate patients may be put I'M
der restraint, may be kept from drink
and may not be forced out to spread
abroad the disease which the institu-
ton exists to prevent.
1.-THE number of such cases is not
large but this is not the first that we
have come upon in our work, and
there are enough of them in the
county to make the need a real one.
Even though these unfortunates may
be absolutely to blame for their pres
ent condition, humanity demands
that they be decently cared for until
death ends their misery, and self
preservation demands that they be
prevented, forcibly, if necessary, from
to others the fatal dis |
ease of which they are the victims"