The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-04-09
Haven For White
Plague Victims
From thursdays oaIlv.


Fifty guests Of the Mankato Com.
mercial club. largely the commission
ers OF Blue Earth and surrounding
counties, sat down 10 n sumptuous
han1uet at the Elks' cafe early this
afternoon.
The tables were superbly adorned
with carnations and ferns and the
joyial mood of the gathering was not
nj all suggestive OF the serious and ex,
tremely important business that was
the real purpose OF the meeting. This
was TO build ~ joint county sanitarium
for the care of consumptives. Six
counties were represented, namely,
Blue Earth, watonwan, Faribault, Me
ollet, Martin and Brown. lie Sueur
and Waseca counties have turned the
proposition down.
Compliment For The Girls.
At the conclusion OF the repast, A.
J. Veigel. president of the CONNER
cial club, called the meeting TO order
and highly complimented the girls OF
the graduating class of the nigh school
who had served the guests. Mr.. Vel
gel heartily welcomed the guests. lie
regretted that the season was not fav-
orable TO an automobile ride about
the city. lie said the object OF this
gathering was TO decide whether or
not 10 build the sanitarium. A com.
mission would be appointed TO work
out the details II the county commits
sioners should act favorably.
DIR. Robinson Dosworth Of st. Paul,
executive secretary OF the advisory
board OF the Minnesota State SAM
~
address the meeting. DR.. Bosworth
said IL was the desire OF the promot'
ers 10 get as many counties as posi-.
ole into this project. lie showed fg-
ures 10 indicate what the six coun-
ties ought To have. They ought TO
have 90 To 10 beds in the hospital.
The cost would he TO the six counties
n total OF S7l.llO. That would be
siNty-three cents per capita. S1S.iI9
would be the share that Blue Earth
county would invest. That was the
limit that could be invested by the
counties. and $4,000 more could be
gotten from the state. sl21,l10 was
thus the total that could be raised.
Cost Of Maintenance.
lie figured that the cost OF maintain.
ing 100 beds would he about S4.9S6 for
Blue Earth county alone and the total
annual expense on all the counties
would be in proportion. He based
these figures on the supposition that
sixty natients OF the 100 would pay
81 a week each, but for each OF the
forty free patients. the state would
nav SIS per week. $4,000 would be
about the total annual expense on
all Of the six counties. Blue Earth
would have TO pay si,9S6; Nicollet,
S2.4Ol: Brown, S3.4SS: Watonwan.
1884: Martin, s2.97S: Faribault,
1891. Al these sums would have TO
be paid in addition 10 what the pay
natients paid and what was received
from the state for the charity pa.
tients. The total annual cost OF run
ming the hospital would be about
$4,000.
What Might Be Tendency.
DIR. Bosworth said there might be
n tendency on the part of the county
commissioners that the only object
Of erecting the institute was to help
the destitute consumptives. There was
more 10 il than that u would benefit
the rich as well as the poor. At pres
ent millionaires have no place in their
own county 10 get proper treatment
lin case OF their being victims OF tu-
berCulosis. The purpose was to pro-
vide n place for all consumptiyes. IT.
respective of their financial condition.
He figured that il would take about
$4,000 10 buy site, build the hos
piial. equip Ii and prepare II to be
ready TO receive 100 tuberculosis pa
ticnts.
DIR. Busworth estimated that forty
acres ought TO he bought for such an
institution. II would be better 10 buy
sixty acres. II was desirable to con-
troll enough land around the hospital
so as 10 prevent owners OF neighbor-
ing property from doing anything that
would be Objectionable to the hospital.
Deaths From Disease.
I'm the six counties there were an
nually for several years back about
ninety-three deaths from tuberculosis.
Il was figured that q hospital ought
10 be built large enough TO take care
OF as many patients as there were
deaths each year from tuberculosis
in the territory served by the hospi-
tai.
The doctor said every tuberculosis
hospital was always filed. II pa
tient had to die. IL was desirable that
he should die at the hospital so as
not to infect his family and others.
There was every reason to expect
that a hundred-bed hospital could
easily be filed from these six coun-
ties.
DIR. Bosworth stated that the actual
cost of caring for tuberculosis patients
was $40 week. To care for such a
patient not the full cost but 81 should
be charged.
But IL should be borne in mind that
the hospital was protecting the com.
munity. Therefore the community
ought TO nay something for the care
OF the patients.
Sanitarium In otter Tail County.
DIR. Bosworth said the Otter Tail
county sanitari,im was located eight
miles from the railroad so that the
cost OF running the hospital was ex.
cessive. Otter Tail county was dis.
gusted. II was eight miles from town
and Il cost too much to run II. But
other institutions that were wisely To-
Gated could be run for 81. so per pa
tient per day.
The item of food I'm tuberculosis
hospital was much greater in the ex.
uanse acpount than I'm casae af ofhar