Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-13
OPPOSE WARDS
At HOSPITALS
In Favor of Building in Coun-
ty for Care of tuberculosis
Patients
MEETING Is HELD
Want Institution Immediately
Building is Discussed at
County Seat

Doctors representing the staffs Of
St. Peters and Middlesex General
Hospitals at meeting yesterday aft
ernoon declared themselves opposed
to the plan of adding tuberculosis
wards to the general hospitals, but
in favor of building, Immediately,
county tuberculosis sanatorium in
Middlesex county.
The meeting was held at the sug-
gestion of DIR. Charles l. Silk of
Perth Amboy and was an aftermath
of the meeting held two weeks ago
which was called by the freeholders
to discuss the proposition of adding
tuberculosis wards to hospitals. At
the former meeting doctors from the
Perth Amboy Hospital had declar-
ed themselves in favor while the two
hospitals in New Brunswick were
against it.
DR.. Edgar T. Shields of tire Ma
tional Tuberculosis Association spoke
in favor of tuberculosis wards. He
stated that the plan had already
been successfully tried out in Jersey
City and San Francisco and in a
number of hospitals in New York
City. Associations which have in
dorsed this plan are, National Tu-
berculosis Association, American
Medical Association, American Hos
pital Association and the Uniteu
States Public Health Service.
DR.. Shields stated he had spent
about eighteen months on a recent
survey Of the tuberculosis problem
in New Jersey and he had been
amazed to find there was no sana-
torium in Middlesex county. which
has had an average of 167 deaths
per year for the last six years.
Open discussions followed: DR.. H.
Haight declaring himself opposed TO
the ward plan stating that although
he was a medical man and not afraid
of contagion, he would not go to a
hospital having tuberculosis wards
DIR. D. z. English declared himself
also opposed TO the plan and stated
that the Freeholders should not be
allowed to side-step the issue by not
building a County Sanatorium. g
asked why, over s700,000.00 was
available for the building of a road
between Highland Park and Metuch-
en- and only S150,000.00 for tubeccu-
locis hospital. Doctors McGovern
and Haywood expressed the same
opinion. DIR. McKiernan stated that
New Jersey was notorious for its
small public health appropriation
and advised the doctors and people
interested to go into politics to Sc
cure a hospital by that means. Dr.
Gruessner and DIR. Merrill also op-
posed the plan Of tuberculosis wards.
DIR. Merrill advised that before the
next site for the Sanatorium is pur-
chased, it should be approved by the
State Board of Health.
DIR. Silk gave a history of the san
atorium movement in Middlesex
county, stating that the question had
been agitated for more than twelve
years. DR.. Silk explained that there
were between 100 and 1900 cases of
tuberculosis in the county. all OF
which had at some time needed san
atorium care. DR.. SILK stated that
the wards had been suggested as the
freeholders felt able only TO build
forty bed unit at this time. With
the ward plan accommodations for
about ninety patients could be Sc
cured at approximately the same ex-
penditure.
LIZ CHleiQS tnen expressed Lne
opinion that every county and med
ieal body knew its own situation best
and that a county hospital might be
more advantageous for Aiiddlesex
county. He advised a strong pub
licity program and pressure on the
political authorities.
DR.. Haight offered three reSolu-
tions. which were adopted by those
present:
1st--An expression of thanks for
DR.. Shields scientific and common
sense presentation of the question.
2nd-An expression of admiration
for DR.. Silk and Miss Packard s
work in the county.
3rd-A resolution favoring the
immediate building of a county tu-
berculosis sanatorium.
DR.. c. f. Saulsberry presided and
those present were DR.. D. c. Eng
lish, DR.. ]. F. McGovern, DR.. f. g.
Riva, DIR. Anthony Gruessner, DR..
Frederick L. Brown, DIR. C. F. Mer-
rill, DR.. II. w. Haight, DR.. r. L.
MeKiernan, DR.. H. Haywood, DIR.
Charles 1. Silk. Miss Jane Packard,
Miss Nancy II. Clement, superin-
tendent Middlesex General hospital.
also the assistant superintendent
and several lay persons.
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