Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-07
WILL EXPAND
SANITORIA
State Health Authority Out
lines What the Common
wealth Proposes to Do

! Major John D. Mclean, assistant
commissioner of health of Pennsyl-
vania and who has been placed in
| charge of the States tuberculosis
work, has issued this statement in
regard to the plans of the Depart
ment of Health for expanding the
work.
The control of tuberculosis in
Pennsylvania was considered of such
grave importance by DR.. Samuel G..
! Dixon, the first Commissioner of
Health, that he asked a separate
and distinct appropriation from the
, Legislature. The people of Penn
sylvania as represented by the House
of Representatives and the State
Senate, appreciating DR.. DiXon's
| point of view conceded his request
and an amount of money was set
aside as a lump sum to be used in
the best manner possible. The first
work done was the establishment
| one at Cresson and another at Ham
burg. Going hand in hand with this
was the locating throughout the
State of a number of diSpenSaries
for the education and care and
treatment of our citizens suffering
with this disease.
The present administration real
izing the value of the enormous
work done by DR.. Dixon has, without
! hesitancy. decided that this should
| be carried on to a still greater de-
gree and greater efficiency. Plans
and specifications have. therefore,
been drawn for requirements, alter
ations and improvements at the
three institutions. The approximate
amount to be expended at Mont Alto
is three hundred thousand dollars.
At Hamburg, one thousand dollars
and at Cresson one hundred thous-
and dollars. We find from plans al
ready of record that DIR. Dixon had
arranged for the installation of an
electric lighting plant at Mont Alto
therefore, this will be done. Also
the installation of a new heating
plant at the hospital is absolutely
necessary: and, because, of the diff
| ficulty of maintaining perma-
nent help at the institution, small
cottages for married help will be
, built. Also the construction OF a
building for the housing of female
help and the thing which is con-
sidered most important is the in
stallation of n community house
where lectures. moving pictures
and other amusements can be had
, for the patients, as we'll as the
Sanatoria staff. The difficulty in
the past has been in finding a suit
able place in which to take ad-
vantage of the offers of entertain
ment received from lecturers and
other national repute. A commun-
ity house is needed for all three
institutions.
1T has been found on investi-
cation that protection from the
high winds at Hamburg will be ne
cessary. Because of the excellent
construction of the buildings at this
place a wind break probably five
or six feet high will provide for a
very excellent soloria. The sun
beating down on this roof on a
wintery day is n very important
part of the treatment of all the
patients and is very welcome
thing TO them.
The value of the care of young
children predisposed to or infected
by tuberculosis is to receive para
mount consideration. This will call
for the erection of an openair
school house at Mont Alto and
some alterations to the one already
built at Cresson.
The funds for the maintenance
OF the three sana toria are provided
for in a bill introduced in the
House of Representatives by Rep
resentative McCaig, Chairman Of
the Appropriation Committee on
March 4, 1919 and by Senator DaiX
a similar bill in the upper cham
Der.