Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-21
ASSOCIATION TAKES
LONG STEP FORWARD
Purchase of Farm in Town 6f
Essex Makes a tuberculosis
PreventOrium for Children an
Assured Fact-In Operation
by July 1.

! A tuberculosis preventorium for childrer
became reality Thursday afternoon
when the executive committee of the YER
mont Association for the Prevention OF
Tuberculosis voted to purchase the c. w
Rice farm in the town of Essex. The meet
ing was held in the office Of II. w. Slocun
at the State laboratory of hygiene. 1t Is
expected that the preventorium will be tr
operation by July 1 and will be capable
of taking care of 20 children. The associa'
ton already has some funds and 1t Is ex'
pected the money needed for keeping w
the institution, which will have a State
wide scope, can be raised by the sale Of
Christmas seals.
Mrs. Henry A. Ladd. q registered nurse
will put In her full time and Dr. Ladd
will act as general superintendent. He is
now employed as inspector for the State
board of health and will donate his serv.
ices to the preventorium. In order that he
may get around the State quicker and thus
give more time to the new institution he
will be given the use of an automobile
by the association.
The Rice farm is about FIVE acres ir
extent and the farm house is a large one
There is also a good-sized carriage house
which will be converted into an open all
school house. A teacher for the school will
be furnished by the State.
The children will be given the open-ail
treatment and the cost Of equipping them
with the necessary clothing for sleep.
ing out of doors and being out of doors
continually will be about $50 each. This, II
is expected, will be raised by clubs and
societies in the different towns of the
State. Once this clothing IL procured much
of it can be used over and over again.
The very best kind of food will be given
the little patients, who will range from
seven to Is years Of age, in an attempt to
fight off the threatened disease. The free
use Of DR.. Ladd's farm has been rendered
the institution to keep cows, raise vege.
tables. ETC.. and this will do much to de.
crease the expense of the up-keep.
In case a child has contagious disease
or is placed under observation for a time
before being allowed to mix with the other
children. he or she will be placed in the
care Of Mrs. Henry Ladd, mother of Dr.
1.add. and will be kept at the Ladd home.
stead for a time. The elder Mrs. Ladd is
a practical nurse.
The State pays the board Of the patients
and it is thought this will be about 81
per week, although that detail has not yet
Deen inquired out.
There is a need for such an institution
and Mr.. Slocum stated Thursday that he
personally knew Of nine cases which
needed the treatment now. The children
will not be those who have tuberculosis
but those who would be certain to get II
If not cared for in time. BY taking a child
and giving the patient a short inexpen.
sive treatment sure cure can be effected
and years Of life saved. In the case Of ar
adult the cure Is more or less uncertain
and then the years of life saved are o,
course much fewer.
The Rice fern Is admirably situated Will
a hill to shelter 1t from the cold north
winds and on good dry ground. There II
running water to the house and the drain
age is all that could be found in the city
The possibility of purchasing the farm
for this purpose has been considered fol-
some time. although no decisive steps were
taken until yesterday.
At the meeting Thursday it was also
voted to give SIPS to aid in securing q
tuberculosis hospital for Washington
county.