Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-07
APPEAL IS MADE
BY COUNTY BODY
Association Would Help in Get
ting Financial Legislation
Passed to Secure Hospital
BIZ Stdr Correspondent.

NEW brunswick. March 7--At
the meeting of the Board of Free
holders held here yesterday afternoon
a delegation from the Middlesex Coun-
ty tuberculosis Association appeared
before the board regarding the erec-
ton of a Sanitarium or hospital IN
this county for the cure and treat
ment of tuberculor patients
The delegation, which was headed
by DR.. II. b. Kilmer, chairman or the
tuberculosis association, was the hrst
speaker. He said that his association
has been bringing this matter to the
attention of the freeholders since 1912
or 1918. but had never been able to
get any satisfaction or definite action
on the matter. He pointed out the
need of such an institution as the
deaths from the white plague in the
county during the past year was be-
tween $50 and 200 and that for each
death from this disease, the medical
authorities agree that there are hve
cases.
DIR. Kilmer also stated that tuber-
cuIosis can be cured If the proper
treatment is given in the early stages.
One of the difficulties of sending pa
tients to Bonnie Burn and White Ha-
ven is that the majority of the pa
tients do not care to leave the imme-
date locality in which they reside. He
concluded with an appeal that the
county board take steps at once to
further this project and also offered
the services of his association to help
in the work.
DR.. Charles I. Silk, president of the
Perth Amboy Board of Health, stated
that there were 1SS deaths from this
dreaded disease during 1917 in this
county and while the figures for 1918
were not available there would no
doubt be more, probably as high as
200. The cause of this increase in the
death rate, he attributed to the large
gain in population, war conditions and
the severe influenza epidemic. He al
so said that he believed that there
were ] 900 cases in the county at the
present time in need of some treat
ment and these cases should have at
tention TO check the spread OF the dis
ease.
DR.. Silks objection to patients being
sent out of the county for treatment
was that these sufferers after short
time at the institution think that they
are well enough to go home and do
go home. only 10 be asking re-admit-
tance I'm a short time. In many cases
patients are compelled TO wait con-
siderable time to be again admitted
for treatment.
State Secretary French. of the New
Jersey tuberculosis Association said
that he had been informed that the
reason that the county had taken on
action in erecting a tuberculosis hos
pital was that the county was prac-
tically bonded to the limit. He was
informed by Director William III. Dey
that he had been correctly informed.
Mr.. French has been in this state only
a short time and is not thoroughly
familiar with the existing condition
in various sections. He cited III
stances in Illinois where such insu-
tutions were erected and maintained
by levying on taxable property where
communities were bonded TO the limit
In closing, Mr.. French asked the
freeEolders II they would back up the
/ association in an attempt to have the
necessary financial legislation pas
at Trenton.
Director Dey said that the county
board would like to erect such an In
stitution but that at the present time
| their hands are tied as far as finances
| are concerned, by the Peirson Act
He pledged that the freeholders. a.
| well as all of the county officials viii
| appear in behalf of the bill. IL such
measure is introduced in the state leg
islature.
Rev. John Ingham, of this city
| said TO the board that il for no othel
| reason the county should have sucf
an institution "let the county have II
| on the ground of humanity and there
by keeping up the morale OF the suf'
| ferers."