Jackson County journal., 1919-06-20
A HOSPITAL FOR SYLVIA and
this MOUNTAIN SECTION

struck WI / the urgent necessity of
a hospital.
Never {. week passes but some
| person is carried through Sylvia en-
route to : she sille for an operation.
+, 1t would surprise the profession
even to know the number OF these
cases that make their wav from the
counties Of Swain, Graham, Chero-
kee and Clay and the large territory
west of the Balsams. in the run of
year.
With a modern hospital at Sylvia
all this patronage would stop here
and the savin in suffering and ex-
pense would be incalculable in the
course of time Among our local
practitioners we have represented
the best of surgical skill and ex-
perienced muses. who would be
glad to co3necE up with an up,to
date home institution.
The prime consideration in the
establishment of hospital is phil
anthropic The exceptional range
of opportunity for the relief of hu-
man suffering, and the restoration
of health and energy in those who
might otherwise be left helpless;
burden on them selves and the COM
mum ty. This is at once the 1t u site
and practical end of the modern
hospital. No factor in society will
compare with the hospital in the
restoratiol an conservation of lost
individual power and efficiency.
Wealthy p,;lanthropists offer
money and medals to the person
who saves the lie Of one individual
in many thousald-this is heroism.
The public seldom hears of the
learned SURGE who spends his
life in saving and prolonging the
life and useful laess of scores and
hundreds-thi4 is science.
Never has tAere been offered
liner opportunl y to the citizens OF
sylvia and Jackson county who
have money which they would like
10 invest where it will do the most
good than in the establishment OF
hospital.
No period in the history of the
world has witnessed such an ad-
vance in surgery as the period Of
he recent world war. The profess
sion is taking advantage Of the
vast and invaluable knowledge thus
acquired.
These are a few of the major
consider tons why we should be
interested in the immediate build
lng of hospital at Sylvia.
There are many other good and
lalld reasons for sure and unde-
aged action. Such all institution
viii add to the total OF the intel
iigence and morals of the comlnun-
.ty and the grand sum of its busi-
less and financial interests.
The large number of patients
With their friends and attendants
Who will come to be treated from
he body of the population of at
seast six counties of this Inid-mon-
tane section, will naturally leave
some Oh their money with the hotels
md stores, and thereby advertise
the advantages offered by our rnar-
chants, bankers and transportation
outfits.
A hospital should interest person.
ally and vitality every citizen Of
our town and community from
ooot-black to bank president. It
should interest his business and his
life. If he were attacked by acute
appendicitis he die might between
his home and Asheville, as some
nave actually done, for want of i'm
mediate surgical attention. There are
dozens of other shortcuts by way
OF accidents, to the undertaken
/ which can most certainly be avoid
ed by the hospital here at home.
And certainly geographically and
accessibly there is no more logical
location than Sylvia for hospital.
From Clayton to Tennessee and
S out h Caroline to Georgia
1t IS accessible for the entire
section west of the Balsam range.
This is vast territory Of rugged
mountains where life and limb are
just as tenacious and precious and
promising as any like area in the
country. The very fact Of its re-
noteness emphasizes the more the
necessity of a quickly accessible
nome institution.
In and around Sylvia there a doz-
en- ideal sites for a hospital in a
quarter to a half mile of the court
aouse and railroad station: Beau
llful groves of oak and pine shade