St. Johnsbury Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-1920, 1920-05-26
PREVENTORIUM
DRIVE FIRST
WEEK in JUNE
St. Johnsbury's Quota in the
State Wide Campaign
Fixed at $500

sAbout 25 St. Johnsbul'y citizens
held luncheon ut the st. Johnsbury
House Wednesday noon by invitation
of Harold w. Slocum of Burlington,
executive secretary of the Vermont
tuberculosis association. in the in
terests of the drive to raise $50, 1000 in
Vermont to match a similar gift by
Mr.. Proctor and Miss Proctor to
establish IL prevcntorium at Pittaford.
Following the luncheon Edgor Il.
Brown, president of the Commercial
Club, was invited to preside and he
presented Mr.. Slocum. The latter
explained the situation in Vermont,
and what was being done to control
it. He said the greater portion OF
the work was done among the child
rem of the state through the forma-
ton of Health Crusade- in the pub
lie schools. The public health nurse
works in the public schools under the
jurisdiction Of the public health oili-
Ger and also works among the
patients.
Mr.. Slocum said that 300 died of
tuberculosis in this state in 1919 and
that there were pr obably nine times
as many affected with the disease.
Less than 500 of these cases were un
der supervision. 1t was the inten-
ton with the proceeds of the drive to
place public health nurses in each OF
the 10 districts in the state. Mr..
Slocum spoke of the good work done
at PittSford, of the excellent results
among the children obtained at the
Preventorium at Essex, and stated
that Washington county had voted to
bond itself for $4,000 TO build a
county preventorium. Mr.. Slocum
said the incipient cases were the cur
able ones. 1t was largely through the
work Of the boys and girls that the
Essex preventorium was secured, and
that now had 16 beds where today
all bat two of the children were sup
ported by the state. The Proctors
had offered to give site in Pittsford
containing 80 acres and erect a pre-
ventorium for $4,000, provided this
sum could be matched in the state
and the drive for this fund would pc
held in Vermont the :.rst week IN
June.
Hon. Fred A. Rowland of Mont
pelier, chairman of the state drive,
said this was i practical proposition
because way had been found to
prevent and cure the disease that
caused more deaths annually than
any other in the world. He briefly
sketchcd the sacrifice of DR.. Tru-
deau and the establishment of his
noted plant at Saranac Lake and said
that the establishment of prevento-
rum in Vermont would not only sovc
the lives Of our children, but have a
wonderful effect upon the social sys-
tenn which was already somewhat dis
organized. He said the war had de-
veloped the spirit of giving and he
believed that more than $4,000 would
be raised in the state for such IL
worthy cause.
DR.. j. o. Drouin heartily endorsed
the drive, speaking for the medical!
profession, and incidentally urged
medical inspection in our public
schools.
Mr.. Slocum announced that St.
Johnsbuly's quota in this drive was
$500 and a committee consisting Of
Gilbert E. Woods, P. f. Hazen and
DR.. J. o. Drouin were appointed to
have charge of raising the money. 1t
was decided to invite Mr.. Slocum to
address a public meeting on Tuesday
evening, June /, and start the drive IN
St. Johnsbury at that time.