Evening journal., 1917-04-25

At the annual meeting or the ield-
ware Anti-Tuberculosis Society on
Monday night. Miss Emily p, Bissell
submitted her annual report as pres
ident, in the course OF which she
said
"The years work OF the Delaware
Anti-Tuberculosis Society has been
all in all the most satisfactory in its
history so far, because of several new
departures.
"In the first place. we have had a
larger amount of patients at Hope
Farm than i'm any previous year
from the early months Of the summer
until winter. our nlmber of patients
exceeded the highest mark ever
reached before even in midsummer.
We had as many as sixteen children
in our open.air school Our work,
therefore, was tested as IL has never
been before.
"The result Of this was extremely
satisfactory. Under our new superin-
tendent. Miss Helen Reilly, Hope
Farm has run more smoothly than
ever before. Since her coming nearly
year ago. only three complaints
have been reported and these minor
ones. There has been very good
spirit Of cooperation with the dis
pensary work. and very little trouble
in procuring and keeping nurses This
has always been difficult before. as
Hope Farm, being in the country,
finds Il more difficult to get workers
than the other hospitals
Another advance is that this year
we have had more early cases OF tu-
berculosis. and therefore been able to
do more toward arresting the disease
than before The largest part OF Hope
Farm work has always been segrega-
iion of advanced consumptives, but
the durable cases are now coming in
I'm larger numbers, and are respond
ing to treatment We believe part OF
this TO be due to the fact that tuber-
culosis is a reportable disease, and
that tho physicians over the State are
gaining a better knowledge OF It. IL
IS by such cooperation on the part
or the medical profession in Delaware
that the value Of our sanitarium Will
grow and develop
"This year we have had two doc
tors. each making several regular
visits to Hope Farm each week and
one throat specialist. making exam
nations whenever needed, which is
an advance upon previous years; and
more laboratory work has been done
in our laboratory than before
"For years we have desired to es-
tablish light industries at Hope Farm.
This has finally been done A teacher
OF cement work has been secured from
the cement shop of the Massachu-
setts General Hospital. and quite a
stock OF porch and garden orna-
ments. iardinieres. bird baths etc.
has been manufactured A teacher of
weaving has been procured from Bos-
ton and we have one large loom and
other smaller looms in operation.
This Industrial department is in its
infancy but we hope to teach our con
valescent patients these light indus.
tries and to find a steady market for
the products. which are, OF course
treated In such a way as TO be abso
lutely sterilized before leaving the
workshop. ! need hardly say that tC
contract tuberculosis from a cement
jardiniere would be beyond the power
Of man. but the public does not al
ways realize this, and so the articles
are sterilized.
with all this satisfactory activity
and efficiency at Hope Farm our so
ciety feels able to give more attention
to the general educational campaign
of the State. No other State society
as far as | know. has ever had the
only sanitarium in the State on its
hands TO run This has absorbed a
great part OF our attention This year
We look outward toward the educa
tional problem OF tuberculosis and
desire to put more energy into solv
ing them. We have decided to set
apart a certain amount OF our funds
toward definite State work The
committee appointed at our last meet
ing to consider cooperation with the
State Commission in the matter OF q
possible executive secretary, is ready
TO recommend definite action.
The State Board OF Health has
; also offered through its secretary. rs
heartiest cooperation, and offers tC
send representatives to any confer
cnce that may be called; and the AS
sociated Charities also stands read,
10 confer and cooperate with thu
Commission and the Society.
THE way seems open for com
hned attack upon tuberculosis sucl
as our State has not seen before anS
this marks perhaps the most impor
tant development OF our year
Medical Directors Report
In the course OF his annual report
the Medical Director. DR.. Alber
Robin, gave the following statistics
Patients in sanitarium, April I. 1915