The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1920-10-22
HEALTH STATION
GOES TO PORTAGE
NOTICE or DECISION
RECEIVED THIS WEEK
Hospital at Ravenna the Principal
Reason for Turning Down Medina. =
Only One Rural Station to be Con.
Quoted by State Department.

The high hopes that the people b
Medina have been indulging in fo]
several weeks that this county woull
be selected by the State Health De
partment as the location for the pro
posed rural health station, have, beel
knocked into cooked hat, the selec
tion having been decided in favor 3.
Portage county. The decision of th,
State Department was made known il
a letter received on Saturday by Coun
ty Health Commissioner r.. A. Brint
nall from DR.. A. w Freeman, Stat.
Commissioner of Health.
While it was known that Portage
county was Waging an aggressive cam
paign to secure the station, those
most active in trying to secure it fol
Medina county had been given what
they felt were practical assurance.
that the station would be located here
Not definite assurances, to be sure
but such as might naturally be inter.
preted as assuring. Hence, consider.
able disappointment here.
In the letter to DR.. Brintnall. which
is given below, several reasons are as.
signed for favoring Portage county
one Of which is that there is hospit-
al at Ravenna, the county seat. II
seems probable that this factor alone
was the deciding one.
Regardless Of the outcome, however,
Medina citizens have the consolation
that no stone was left unturned to win
the coveted prize. The letter from
DR.. Freeman follows:
DR.. r. A. Brintnall,
District Health Commissioner, "a
Medina, Ohio.
My dear Doctor Brintnall:
l have been engaged for the last
ten days in going over the plans for
the county health demonstration and
in arriving at decision as to which
county should be selected.
It has been an exceedingly difficult
matter to decide, and it is with real
regret that have toswrite that we
have decided to select Portage county
for the work. The reasons for TIM.
selection are briefly these:
Portage county is much better pro-
vided with transportation facilities.
both railroad, traction and highway,
than is Medina county, and it will Be
much easier to conduct the work there
during the winter months. Portage
county further has already at Raven
ma a hospital, which will greatly sim
pilfy the organization and conducting
OF clinics. These factors have been
the decisive ones, since in general char
acteristics and in the interest mani
Tested locally in the proposition both
counties left nothing to be desired.
/ hope you will express to the citi-
zens OF your county who interested
themselves in this matter my very real
appreciation, both personally and Of
ficially, Of their enthusiasm, hospital
ity and Kindness. The reaction Of Me-
dina county and Of Portage county to
our proposal for demonstration has
been one of the most heartening and
encouraging things which has ever
happened since / became Commissioner
Of Health. felt when / returned
from Ravenna, as result of a two
day trip to the two counties, that al
new day has really dawned in public
health work.
While it is not possible for us to at
sempt demonstration in more than
'ne county, | very much hope that
your own people will not let this mat
'er drop, but will go ahead and organ
re for an Independent health service.
assure you that you will have our
most hearty good wishes and all the
support we can give you.
Very truly yours,
A. W. FREEMAN,