The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-01-24
LEI! 4 TlIER.

conditions OF all; Of her citizens. Il
q man has had q slight in iury in the
shop or has had his heath upset
| BY the effects of some occupat ionaIa
disease, q few weeks : stay In the
Genesung sheim will restore him to
good health and the sick pension he.
| is entitled to WIN pay for II. n
In some parts of Germany, con-
lvaiescent tubercular patients are ac-
commodated In these institutions, al
though this combination is not gem
eral and sisubject to objections. The
normal duty of the Genesiingsheim in
the health system Of the nation is to
provide proper Accommodation for
nvaleScents or for persons who are
suffering from some indisposition
not serious enough to require the
treatment of the regular hospital.
In France in Switzerland and In
Italy every practicing physician is In
touch with some home or more or
less elaborate equipment which will
alll the gap between hospital service
and the. average daily living habits
Of the patients Returned tourists
frequently comment on the lack Of
such homes in their own country.
Yet attempts in this direction have
been. made in every American city
and many Of them have failed through
lack of financial support.
With the need so generally admit
ted by every practicing physician, and
the possibilities Of their operation SO
we'll demonstrated throughout Eu-
rope, 1t seems strange that the nurs-
ing home in America lis not In gen
eralt use. An American physician
who has Travelled widely and who
gives much time to social problems.
believes thJ the failure sof the In
stitution here Is usually :dues to a
lack Of financial responsibility upon
the part Of those who attempt 1t, a 1
lack Of cooperation Upon the part Of
health officials and a certain amount !
OF professional Jealousy upon tnel
part OF physic Clans, who should sup
port, It. If q closer connection be-
tween private and public health In
situations and officials could be SCI
cured, the success of the nursing
home would be assured.
While in the minds of most physic-I
ians no connection should exist be-
tween the conyalescent home and the |
tubercular sanitarium, the demand
for both is Overwhelmingly felt each
day by some physician in general.
practice. Both are comparatively
simple in their requirements, neith-
,er calling for the elaborate equip
ment of the general hospital. The !
doctor who finds tuberculosis in a
self-supportingS man or woman in
moderate circumstances is usually
hopeless when asked to recommend
a sanitarium at q reasonable. price,
although he may know of several
where charity patients receive pro-
vision for all their needs. He usual
.ly falls back upon the home treat
ment consisting oflisleeping out OIL
doors. taking extra notrishment and
resting as much, as possible Butt
every doctor knows. that thousands
of persons die Seach year because
theft home condftio ns do. not permit,I
these provisions. Most of them could
have been cured by a few, months
residence In a properly conductedl
stubercular sanftarium during the
early stages of the disease. In the
same way many persons become In
valids for life who might have been
restored to perfect health and
strength If they had proper care dur
ing the first few weeks after some
serious illness. Others might be
saved Of some chronic intestinal or
nervous disorder IL they could have
had this care at, theb eginning Of
their indisposition. Without it, they
drift along as best they can in their
regular home conditions until the
disease has become SO fixed upon
them as to cause permanent disable
fly.