The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-18

Denver's Tuberculosis Problem.

Denver. Colo. Aug. ia cam
paign to induce persons having tn
berculosis and no funds to stay
away from Denver IL now being
vigorously waged BY the health au-
thorities here. Leaflets explain
ing Why such persons are much bet
ter off 1T home are being scattered
broadcast throughout the country
By the Denver Anti-TubefCulpsis
society and physicians in every
state are being asked to cooperate
In checking the perpetual rush Of
INDECENT lungers for the Queen City.
A few years ago, the United
States Public Health Service, which
made an Investigation here, esti-
mated that at least 400 tuberculous
persons without funds come to Dem
yer every year. and that the num-
Der 10 increasing. This Is due TO
the mistaken idea, still widely prev
alent in the east, that climate alone
will cure tuberculosis. when Is .
matter of fact climate is an unim-
portant factor compared to rest,
outdoor sleeping and good food.
And Of these latter facilities Dem
yer has practically none to offer
free Of charge.
Many .health-seekers come here.
of course, with the idea Of main
tanning themselves by doing light
work, but to find such work, or
work of any kind for person with
active tuberculosis. is practically
impossible. The demand is always
many times greater than the supply.
Hence, the average case proceeds
about like this: A lunger arrives
with from go to 100 dollars in his
pocket. He is unable to find work.
so he seeks cheap lodging house
and economies on food in order to
make his small capital last as long
as possible. In this way he may
manage to exc out a miserable ex-
istence 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 recov-
cry, but who have spent nearly all
their money in a frantic last at
tempt to reach Denver before it is
too late. For these unfortunates,
about to die and in need Of immed-
late hospital care, Denver also has
practically no facilities.
Accommodations Are Few.
There is no state nor municipal
sanatorium here. The best that
the city has to offer its own tuber-
cular victims is a few beds-thir-
ty-five or so-in the county hospit-
al, used chiefly for the far-advanc-
ed cases and the dying. Several
private institutions care for pa
|, tients at rates ranging from $40 to
$160 a month, with very few beds
at the low figure, and there are al
so many cheap tubercular homes.
accommodating patients at from $40
to $50 a week, but these latter are
without medical care. They usual
ly consist 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 a few very good
institutions which doubtless ably
met the situation some years ago
but which are now hopelessly in.
adequate. Among these are two
free Jewish sanatoriums, with ca
pacity of $50 beds each, which &C.
cept only q small percentage Of
Gentiles. Patients desiring to en-.
ter these must apply from theil
place of departure, and await mott
fication before coming to Denver
The waiting lists are always long
and it is usually months before ar
applicant can be admitted.
There is also the Craig Colony, &
small institution housed in tent.
on a leyel. shady stretch Of grolnt
located on the outskirts Of the city
and maintained by tag days ant
other forms of public subscription
This colony, established by an earl!
Denver hunger named Craig, is fol
INDECENT tuberculous men.
/ Among the better pay institution!
is the Agnes Memorial Home 70,
tuberculosis victims, built by Sena
tor Phipps to the memory Of hi!
mother, where patients are caret
for at rates ranging from $13 t
$50 a week. This is acknowledged
to be one Of the finest tuberculal
sanatoriums in the west, IL not il
the entire United States. It spe
cializes in training persons Will
tuberculosis how to take care o
themselves, and each patient is dis
charged at the end of a year upol