Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-15

in doing such great work. Those ear
lier trustees got across to the people
of Maine that tuberculosis Is not a
private charity but public charity:
that the health of the citizens Of
Maine is the responsibility of the
State.
Dr.. Downs Work
Mr.. Jewell then called upon Mr..
Herbert Emery to speak of DR..
Downs and his work and Mr.. Emery
said:
The establishment Of the Central
Maine Sanatorium and the develop
ment Of the work for the prevention
and control of tuberculosis at this
place, was due to the tireless effort
of DIR. Arthur A. Downs.
In the year 1909 DR.. Downs read a
paper before the Waterville Clinical
Society, of which he was a member.
upon the subject of the prevention
ing the discussion Of this paper, DR..
Downs was appointed chairman Of
the committee from the Clinical So
ciety, to effect the organization Of a
local society, for the prevention and
control of tuberculosis. At that time
the only work Of Importance of this
kind in the State, was that being
done at the private sanatorium at
Hebron, where a relatively small
number of patients were being cared
for.
DR.. Downs at once began a
vigorous effort to interest the
citizens of this community in this
comparatively new and expert
mental work.
To him the fact that $4,000 per-
sons in this state were afflicted with
tuberculosis and that many hum
dreds die each year from this dis
ease, was not mere matter of
statistics. 1t was living. vital,
human need. To him it appeared
just as awful and as needless that
these thousands should be suffering
and dying of this disease, as it
would have been If the same num-
Der were taken off suddenly each
year by smallpox or typhoid. He
felt that since all these deaths were
preventable and d very large per-
centage durable, had the case been
taken in time, that no amount of
money or effort was too great TO
give in order to stamp out the dis
ease. He, therefore, was i'm
patient with whose who teiuporized
or dealt with the matter in an in
efficient way. He wanted to see
tuberculosis eradicated quickly as he
felt sure it could be done with
money and education. He succeeded
in organizing a small society which
was known as the Central Maine
Association for the Relief and Con-
troll of tuberculosis. Several ply
sicians and other professional and
business men and women soon be-
gan to take an active part in the
work, but from it's beginning until
the time of his death, DIR, Downs
was the real moving spirit. He
was the medical director, he plan
ned for the local clinics, and made
hundreds of examinations.
When these early clinics brought
out the fact that many persons who
were affected could be successfully
treated only by sanatorium or open
air and rest methods, he urged the
purchase of this site for the estab-
lishment Of a summer camp, for the
treatment of tubercular patients. To
finance this project a financial cam
paign was arranged and sufficient
funds were secured in Waterville,
Fairfield, Oakland and Winslow, to
start this work.
This small camp steadily grew I'M
til he had small sanatorium on
this spot. This Sanatorium was
filled with patients and DR.. Downs
was giving his time and thought to
their treatment, when suddenly the
building was destroyed by fire, and
the whole work was thrown into
what seemed to be hopeless con-
fusion. But for the indomitable
spirit and perseverance of Dr.
Downs. the work would probably
have been abandoned. He inspired
his loyal helpers to greater efforts,
another financial effort was made
and the Chase Building finally be-
came a reality.
The work started by DR.. Downs
can fairly be said to be the first
work in the State. to give free treat
ment to any considerable number Of
persons. Through the influence of
the work of the Central Maine AS
ISOLATION, a State Anti tuberculosis
Association was formed at Water
vile, which carried on a continuous
campaign of agitation and educa-
ton. and created all over the State
a growing interest in the proven
ton and treatment of tuberculosis.
Up to this time the expense of the
work of the Central Maine Sana-
forum had been carried on entirely
by private charity, but now the
number of patients rapidly increas-