Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-08
COUNTY TUBERCULOSIS
HOSPITAL SETBACK
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Arrangements for a joint confer
ence with the freeholders of some Of
the neighboring counties, was fav-
ored by DIR, Anderson, with the idea
of erecting a hospital for the care of
patients of several counties. This
plan, however. cannot be put into
practice with Somerset county ac-
cording to Freeholder Belloff, as the
officials of that county have record
ed themselves as being opposed to
the plan. There seems to be some
doubt of making similar arrange
ment with Union county as plans are
now under way at that place for the
enlargement of their tuberculosis hos
pital owing to- the crowded condi-
tions.
I,r. Charles I. Silk. of Perth Am
boy, a member of the committee,
advocated additions to the largest
hospitals al the county in which to
treat recipient cares of the dis 'ase
while cases in the advanced stages
c.uld be sent to the tuberculosis
sanatoriuns as is new done,
This suggestion m ct VII favor
among tfcse press vt and Efforts wi |
he m i'd. for a NE citing with the
board Of directors or the Ps.+h Am
bcy city cspital and the st Pete! 9
and MIda1esex General h ispi.ais of
this civ within the next two weeks
TO CO. der the matter.
Objections and prejudices Gsa ,st
suci a plan are known to aist among
the lav members of some Of the
h ,spitaI boards. though Doc'cr Silk
declared tie p1aa to be NOT Only
safe but practical. He informed
thos, present that the care of IT,
berclosis in the incipient stages in
wards of general hospital is endors-
ed by the American Medical So
ciety, and that Newark and Jersey
City have taken that means of car
ing for the patients in those local.
tiles.
A big saving to the county would
be made If such plans were adopted
here, it being agreed that the cost
of $2,700 per bed in county built
hospital would be reduced to not
over $500 and possibly as low as
$1,000 In wards provided for in :
general hospital. where a hospital
organization is now in operation.
Under the average figures obtained
it was shown by County Treasurer
r. William Hilker, that the invest
ment of 100000 in hospital would
cost the taxpayers of the company
$51,940 annually as follows: $1,000
for the retirement of bonds, $4,000
interest, $4,000 for depreciation and
repairs, $500 for Insurance and $37,-
440 for the maintenance of forty pa
tents.
The entire membership of the
Board of Freeholders was present
as were the following members OF
the advisory committee, DR.. John F.
Anderson and Mrs. s. Lipman, of
New Brunswick; DR.. Silk, of Perth
Amboy, and Mrs. J. III. Thayer Mar
tin of Woodbridge.
Some idea of the cost of operating
a hospital may be obtained from the
following comparisons:
Bergen county, cost of plant $125,-
900; maintenance, per annum $44,-
92S; beds, number 48; average cost
of patients per week, $18: cost OF
plant, per bed, $4,000; population
1920, 210,703.
Union county, cost of plant $780,
900: maintenance, 7,59S.15: beds,
240; average cost of patients per
week, $18: cost of plant per bed,
$4,000; population 1920, 200,157.
Morris county, 100000; mainten-
ance, $44,538.75; beds, 38; average
cost Of patients per week, $22.50;
cost of plant per bed, $4,000; popu-
lation 1920, S2,694.
Hudson county, cost of plant per
bed, $2,500; population 1920, 62s,-
154.
Camden county, cost of plant,
$192,5o0; maintenance, $63,000; beds
90; average cost of patients per
week, $15.00; cost of plant per bed.
$4,000; population 1920, 190,50S.
The above shows the following
average: .....
Cost of plant, $2S0.75o; mainten-
ance, $82,516.22; beds, 104; average
cost of patients per week, $1S.37;
cost of plant per bed, $2,580.
Similar figures which have been
compiled for the freeholders of this
county show that plant for Mid
dlesex county would cost 100000;
maintenance, $37,440; beds, 40; ave-
rage cost of patients per week, SIS;
cost of plant per bed, $2,500; popu-
lation 1920, 162,S34.
The figures given in this compari-
son do not include payment of inter-
est on bonds or bonds when falling
due, or the percentage of deteriora-
ton, or repairs.