Source:Ask-quarter-million/content
Believing the proper care of indigent consumptives is one of the city's most pressing problems, and realizing the utter inadequacy of the poor farms at Marshalsea and at Claremont to cope with the situation, the department of health, in conjunction with the tuberculosis commission, will ask the people of Pittsburgh at the November election to vote $250,000 bonds to build and equip a municipal tuberculosis hospital.
An ordinance authorizing the submission of the proposition to a vote of the people will be introduced at the first meeting of councils next month. It will be one of the several bond projects to be voted on on November 2.
The site of the proposed hospital is the Leech farm, comprising over 100 acres, and forming a high and somewhat broken plateau stretching back from the Brilliant cut-off opposite Highland parak [sic]. The farm is owned by the city and is admirably adapted for the purpose. With proper attention the part surrounding the hospital can be made a beautiful park, while the remaining acres can be utilized for truck gardening.
Pennsy to Build Station.
Director E. R. Walters, of the health department, stated yesterday that the Pennsylvania railroad probably will build a station near the site, which would render the hospital easily accessible to patients. Street car facilities are fairly good and may be made much better with extensions of traction lines which will come sooner or later.
Plans now under consideration call for an administration building and hospital, together with pavilions. If the money is provided it is proposed to erect the main buildings in bungalow style. The first story will be stone, and the second story stained shingles.
The hospital would accommodate 250 patients at first and the capacity would be increased gradually by building additions. The entire proceeds of the bond issue would not be needed for building purposes, but a portion would be devoted to equipment and putting the grounds in shape.
It is proposed in case the hopes of the department are realized to make a feature of the day and night camps. Persons in the first stages of consumption who could not afford to stop work to take treatment could go to the camp in the evening after work, eat supper and sleep during the night under prescribed conditions and in the morning, after taking breakfast, return to work. The day camps would be maintained for the benefit of those who work at night.
Thinks People Will Favor Plan.
Director Walters believes the people will favor the proposition to build a tuberculosis hospital when they understand the necessity for it.
"A hospital for consumptives is a crying need of the city to-day," declared Director Walters yesterday. "The tuberculosis camps at Marshalsea and at Claremont are not able to take care of the patients sent to those institutions, and a municipal hospital seems the only practicable solution to the problem.
"The hospital would be free to the people. Any who felt inclined and were able, of course, could pay for treatment, and the money would be turned into the city treasury. But the purpose of the hospital would not be for revenue. All we want is to give people who have consumption a chance to be cured.
At Marshalsea there are at present 56 persons suffering from tuberculosis. Of this number only 22 are accommodated at the pavilion. Up to August 1, of this year, there have been 80 deaths from the disease. In 1908 there were 84 deaths from consumption at Marshalsea and in 1907 there were 88 deaths. There are now about a dozen cases of consumption at Claremont.
In the greater city so far this year there have been 445 deaths from tuberculosis. Cases registered up to August 1 numbered 1,205. In 1908 there were recorded 1,213 cases of consumption and 760 deaths from this cause.
The tuberculosis commission is making a canvass of the greater city to gather certain statistical facts in regard to the prevalence of tuberculosis and its causes. About one-third of the city has been covered. The work, which was begun March 1, last, is the first instance of a systematic investigation of its scope undertaken in this country.
An interesting analysis of facts is being made for the purpose of classification. Of 671 persons now suffering from consumption in Pittsburgh, the commission finds that 201 are unskilled laborers; 162 have no occupation stated; 155 are housewives, 102 are skilled laborers and artisans and 51 are school children.
Of the same 671 there were 316 males and 355 females. There were 559 over 15 years of age and 112 under that age. There were 486 Americans and 185 foreigners.
