New Britain herald., 1926-09-29
Opposes Transfer of Fund to be Used in Treatment of Tuber- culosis Patients.
Special Appropriation Is , Needed for Sick Persons { Who Require Assistance From His Dept.

Proposed transfer of s2,500 from the charity department to the health board for work among tuberculosis patients does not meet the approval of Charity Superintendent John L. Doyle.
 Dr. T. E. Reeks, former health superintendent, and c. W Upson, president of the Tuberculosis Relief society, sponsor the transfer and have recommended 1t to Mayor Weld, declaring at recent cInfer- ence that Mir. Doyle does not object to the transfer. The charity superin- tendent's reply to this declaration today Is that he has no objection to a transfer of the entire tuberculosis relief fund from the charity board, but will strenuously oppose taking part.
 Today's declaration, which Is the first made by Superintendent Doyle, indicates widely divergent opinions in municipal circles on the proposed shifting of accounts.
 Doyle Says Dept. Needs Money
 AS outlined to the mayor, the public health workers propose 10 use s2,500 in furnishing hospitaliza- tion and home treatments to many suffering from tuberculosis who are too proud to pauperize themselves ir, ttn r1oInipty,a1 record C as having received aid from the city. Supt. Doyle explained today his de- partment had S4,5O0 at the begin ming of the year to spend for hos pitalization. This fund is now reduc- ed to $2,300, nearly half the amount being spent in the first six months for institutional care alone. There is no fund for home treatments or for providing cots, awnings. sleeping porches, etc. such as the public health officials planned, and if the charity department is to lose $2,500 to be devoted to these purposes, additional funds must come from some other source to pay for hos pital treatments now being given city patients, he states.
 Names of Patients Not Printed
 The argument that persons too proud to accept city aid will be spared the embarrassment of having their names appear on the pauper list is unsound. Doyle declared to- day, meanwhile producing recent municipal records to show that the names Of these patients are no long CT printed. Supt. Doyle was respon- sible for this change.
 The tuberculosis relief fund has had an interesting political history For several years the health depart ment received S2,500 annually foI this work. When the health work increased in scope to such an extent that the budgets were subjected tc more than the usual scrutiny by the board of finance and taxation, this fund was transferred to the charity department. At this juncture two groups of tuberculosis patients came into existence, one of which was known as health department pa tients whose names did not appear and the other as charity department patients whose names and the amounts expended for each, appear. cd in the municipal record.
 When Mir. Doyle became charity superintendent he argued before tho finance board on the injustice O printing any names unless all were oIy-onNaI tho q n that the patients were all suffering from the same ailment, were being treated in the same institutions 1T the same manner, and the fund.- were coming from the taxpayers His stand was approved by thu finance board and no names hav' been printed since that time.
 The investigation bureau of tn charity department has been brough into play and as a result some stat and out-of-town cases which wer' being supported by the city hav' been returned to their proper clas sification, thereby effecting a sayin. of money.
 Supt Doyle said today that he i willing to have tuberculosis relic work taken from his departmen and returned to the health depart ment, but he declared he is at los to know where the line of demarca tion between health department ant charity patients comes or what ele ments should be considered in mak ing the record. If the city is t assume one-half the tuberculosi work fund for relief measures al 5 equal amount must be added in tn budget to meet bills for hospitaliza ton, he warned.