Evening journal., 1914-03-07
COUNCIL MAY
CONSIDER CITY
HOSPITAL PLAN
Feel That New Assessment
Will Provide Funds for
the Project
SUGGEST PARK SITE
AS THE LOCATION

IL is believed that City Council VIII
give consideration 10 the recommends
iion contained in the annual report of
The Board Of Health that there be
erected in this city municipal hospital
whore patients afflicted with contagious
diseases. other than smallpox, could be
properly isolated md cared for in such
manner az would benefit She patient
and relieve the community of the dan
ger Of Infection Tho Board OF Health
report containing this recommendation ia
now in the hands Of the Council commit
tee Of the whole for action.
For number Of years the necessity
for such an institution has been urged
and number Of reasons have been nd
vnnccd as TO why Council and the gen
ernl public should give the subject con-
sideration. Among these is the hard
ships OF enforcing tne quarantine rules
in private homes Wnoro the source Of
income is limited and also the TACT that
in case Of epidemic the lives OF the resi-
dents would be- endangered until such
time AZ provision could be made for the
patients suffering from any malignant
disease which may spread over the city.
II is pointed out that a plot OF land
in the extreme western section Of the
city was purchased by the city sew
eral years ago at a cost OF $4,000.
which. II is claimed. is of no value to
the city as a public playground, It's
original purpose. and which It Is also
claimed would make an excellent site
for a muniolual hospital. II is believed
that the city under the new ASSESS
mont system viii derive more revenue
than was the case under the old as
sessment, and those fovoring the hos
pital project believe that some OF the
increased revenue should be used %
provide the municipal hospital.
In his annual report, j Austin Elli-
son, secretary OF the Board OF Health.
points out that several hundred thous-
and dollars we're recently raised in
this city by public subscription for
the present hospitals and that not one
cent Of the money can, OF Will. be used
for a patient suffering with CON
tagious Diseases
Mr.. Ellison points out that IL such
q patient should happen to be admitted
TO the hospitals now the health hoard
is asked 10 remove such patients TO
their home. which. of course, has
TO be done to protect other patients
In the hospitals, but at the same time
In returning persons so afflicted to
their homes aud establishing a quar-
antine others are exposed to the dts
ease Mr. Ellison declares person
suffering from contagious disease
is nothing more than an outcast In
Wilmington under existing conditions
because there is no place to take
them
The health hoard admits that con.
tagious diseases. though quarantned
IN their homes are under only nomi.
nal control by the health authorities
| The convalescent period is said TO be
often the most dangerous time for
various reasons, not the least Of
which is the irksomencss Of the pa.
tient under quarantine restrictions
All these dangers inconveniences
10 patient and general public and
other Objectionable features. il is
said could be eliminated II there
We're instituted city hospital for the
/ special care and treatment of such
cases. While the first cost of con-
siruction would be heavy, it is not
/ thought the annual cost of main
/ talnance would be very great for the
reason that the number Of patients
would never be great. unless in times
Of an epidemic, and probably for
weeks and even months during Tho
year the hospital might he unoccu.
pied, except for the caretakers
Whether Council will take any def
mite action In this mater Is moi
known but 1t is believed the mem
bcrs viii give the project their clos,
study when they come to consider
the health boards report.