The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-19
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington, d. c.
DENVER's TUBERCULOSIS PROB
LEM

are much better off at home are be-
ing scattered broadcast turnout the
country by the Denver Anti-Tubercu--
losis society, and physicians in every
state are being asked to cooperate in
checking the perpetual rush of in
digent Iungers for the Queen City.
A few years ago, the United states
public health service, which made an
investigation here, estimated that at
least 400 tuberculous persons without
funds come to Denver every year, and
that the mum Der is increasing This
is due to the mistaken idea, still wide
ly prevalent in the east, that climate
alone will curt tuberculosis, when as a
matter of fact climate is an unimpor-
tant factor compared to rest, outdoor
sleeping and good food. And of these
latter facilities Denver has practically
none to offer free of charge.
Many health seekers come here, of
course, with the idea of maintaining
themselves by-.doing light work. but
to find such work, or work of yany
kind for a person with active tuber-
culosis. is practically impossible. The
demand is always many times greater
than the supply. Hence. the average
case proceeds about like this: A
hunger arrives with from $50 to 800
in his pocket. He is unable to find
work, so he seeks cheap lodging
house and economies on food in or
der to make his small capital last as
manage to exc out a miserable exis-
tence for two months or more, at the
end of which time he is much worse
than when he came and farther than
ever away from work. With his
money gone, he is thrown upon the
charity of Denver, which must either
take care of him or send him home.
In addition to these pathetic cases,
nearly every train brings one or two
persons who are in the last stages OF
tuberculosis, for whom there is no
possible hope of recovery, but who
have spent nearly all their money in
frantic last attempt to, reach Denver
before it is too late. For these un-
fortunates. about to die and in need
of immediate hospital care Denver
also has practically no facilities
Accommodations Arc Few.
There is no state nor municipal
sanatorium here. The best that the
city has to offer its own tubercular
victims is a few beds-thirty-fiv or
so-in the county hospital, used chief
ly for the far-advanced cases and the
dying. Several private institutions
care for patients at rates ranging from
$40 to $3.50 month, with very few
beds at the low figure. and there are
also many cheap tubercular homes,
accommodating patients at from $40 to
$40 a week, but these latter are with
out medical care. They usually con-
sist of old-fashioned houses, TO which
several sleeping porches have been
hurriedly attached and crowded with
beds.
For the care of persons without
funds there are few very good instl-
buttons which doubtless ably met the
situation some. years ago, but which
are now hopelessly inadequate Among
these are two free Jewish sanatoriums.
with a capacity of $50 beds each,
which accept only a small percentage
of Gentiles. Patients desiring to en-
ter these, must apply from their place
of departure, and await notification
before coming to Denver. The wait
ing lists are always long, and IT is
usually months before an applicant
can be admitted.
There is also the Craig Colony.
small institution housed in tents on
level. shady stretch of ground located
on the outskirts of the city, and main
of public subscription. This colony,
established by an early Denver }lunger
named Craig, is for INDECENT tGbercu-
lous men.
Among the better pay institutions is
the Agnes Memorial Home, of Tuber-
cuIosis victims, built by Senator
Phipps to the memory of his mother,
where patients are cared for at rates
ranging from $13 to $40 week. This
is acknowledged to be one of the finest
tubercular sanatoriums in the west.
if not in the entire United States 1t
specializes in training persons with
tuberculosis how to take care OF them
selves, and each patient Is discharged
at the end of a year upon the sup
position that he or she has obtained
all the bnefit the sanatorium has to
offer.
Various small sanatoriums with
moderate rates are also maintained by
church organizations of Denver. There
is the Oaks Home, an Episcopal
institution and the Evangelical Lu-
tuberculous patients at rates ranging
from $45 to $50 a month. The Dutch
Reform church has very attractive,
spotiess sanatorium, too. reminding
one of the far-famed qualities OF
Dutch cleaners. It's rate is extremely
moderate, being only sc a week, but it
accepts only the afflicted members yof.
its own denomination
Denver is Unprepared.
From this brief outline of Denver's
tuberculosis facilities, it may be seen
that city is in no position to re-
ceiFe the large number of impecuni-
Gus tuberculosis persons who insist
upon coming here 1t int that Den
yer is inhospitable. 1t is Just that It
is unprepared. As the health author
tiles point out, if climate alone could
save these sufferers. Denver would
welcome them. not only for humani-
tartan reasons, but because of the debt
she owes to the tuberculous who
have come here with sufficient funds
to regain their health and who have
helped to make her what she is.
Many authorities agree that cure is
facilitated by adding a favorable CHM
ate to the essentials already men
tioned-good food. rest and proper
care-but these should be obtained
first. There are many free sanator-
iums providing them i'm the east, so
that the fastener contracting tuber-
cuIosis is fleeing his best chance of
recovery when he passes upNhis home
facilities and stakes his all on the
Colorado sun and altitude.
That the Denver climate has fallen
down on it's job in Graduating the
disease is evidenced by recent statistics
Sathered by the Ant-Tuberculosis
society, which show that the per-