Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-07-20

| cllities. staff and finances are avail
able. But all OF those interviewed
declared the site at Glenn Dale would
prove satisfactory as place for
treatments OF the disease.
! Real concern was voiced by some
| Of delay IN getting the adult hospital
completed and in operation while Sc
/ lection and purchase OF new site al
distant point was being accom-
| plished This point is emphasized
! because OF the present inadequate
! District facilities for treating the
white plague and the high death rate
/ among tuberculosis patients here.
The District Medical Society last
February registered its approval OF
the site at Glenn Dale. after a report
by It's Committee on tuberculosis.
Surg. Gen. Cumming declared to-
! day he saw no reason to change his
view that the Glenn Dale site is sat
/ isfsctory and, due to the fact that the
! District already has invested In the
! building OF the children's sanatorium
! there. expressed the belief 1t would
/ be well to proceed to build both hos
( pitfalls on the same large tract.
/ Glenn Dale Advantages Seen.
| DR.. Cumming also pointed out the
advantage OF a site close enough 10
Washington to have readily at com
| mand all the medical and surgical
service and other help which the in
stitution might find useful in special
cases.
Altitude in treatment is not Of such
| importance as formerly believed, DR..
| Cumming said. The Glenn Dale site,
| while not on high land, Is not in a
foegy section. he added. To staff a
sanatorium adequately at place dis
tant from the children's building, he
! said, would step up the cost OF an
nusl maintenance.
The question of altitude in treat
ment of tuberculosis also was dis
| counted in a Public Health Service
radio educational program bearing the
approval Of Surgeon General Cum
ming. delivered more than a year ago.
! A press release on this subject states,
in part:
There was a time when change OF
| climate was almost always recon-
mended for tuberculosis People be-
ieved that climates cured tubercu-
losis. They thought that dry air, or
mountain air. or warm or cold air,
was better than some other kind OF
air and the climate OF the arid South
west or OF Florida or OF California
would cure tuberculosis.
| Medical opinion has changed. We
no longer believe that climate Will
cure tuberculosis. We ask ourselves
where treatment can be obtained OF
the kind required and within the
means Of the patient"
Found Near Home.
Other excerpts reaG: Good med
| ical care usually now can be found
near home. although 20 years ago one
I often had TO go TO a resort TO ma a
| tuberculosis specialist Skillful doc
| tors and nurses and good sanatoriums
| can be found in almost every State,
and as for climate. no State in the
Union has found 1t necessary to go
outside its borders to locate It's State
sanatorium.
THE home climate, even II 1t Is
the worst climate In the world, Is best
II proper medical and nursing care Is
available there but lacking elsewhere.
DR.. John Minor, chairman OF the
Special Committee on tuberculosis OF
the Medical Society, said his commit
tee felt it would be better under
existing circumstances to proceed with
the building program at Glenn Dale.
That site is not ideal" but would
prove satisfactory, he said. All other
things being equal, there Is an ao-
vantage In climate, he SAID, puC de-
lay in selection of a new site also
is a matter of Importance.
DR.. A. B. Bennett, president OF the
Medical Society. said the cost OF OPP
Grating the hospital at distant point
would be much greater than near
here. If an adequate staff of medical
experts were retained. He said the
local site would prove satisfactory.
Site Held Satisfactory.
DR., Sterling Ruffin, who has studied
the question OF the site, declared the
Glenn Dale location would prove very
satisfactory. The matter Of altitude
is not of very great moment, he
added Evenness of temperature Is
of greater Importance than high alti-
tude, in his opinion.
Mrs. Ernest r. Grant. executive Of
ficer of the District tuberculosis As
ISOLATION, which has led fight
against building the adult sanatorium
far from Washington, has written to
Commissioner Hazen. emphasizing the
advantages OF building an adult sana-
torium in close proximity to the chill
dren's institution.
She reminded the Commissioner
that the question of the site was care
fully reviewed at the time OF deciding
the location OF the childrens build
ing.
Mrs. Grant informed Hazen: when
the question of locating the Children's
Sanatorium first arose, there were
various groups. each with a different
opinion as to the proper location. To
solve this problem, DR.. Henry D.
| Chadwick. one OF the leading tubercu-
losis experts of the United States. now
, commissioner of health of the State
VI MdSNdCtluStllS. was OibukLb W
Washington. He came with the sp-
proval Of the former Commissioners
and at the expense Of the tuberculosis
Association, for the purpose of giving
an unbiased opinion regarding the
whole problem.
DIR. Chadwick'S knowledge of tuber-
/ culoSis and his long years OF expert
ence in the practical demonstration Of
. that knowledge are known 10 the
entire field OF tuberculosis workers.
and the directors Of the tuberculosis
Association considered it q privilege to
have his wise counsel. 1t is true there
are many fine specialists in this same
/ field OF work. but it has been my eX-
| perience, and have been q director
Of this LEGAL association since 1919 as
well as having served on the National
/ tuberculosis Child Health Committee
/ for five years. that where more than
| two specialists are gathered together.
I you will always find difference of
! opinion.