INDIANA
By Rowland Evans,
Secretary Indiana Branch American Red Cross.
“Whether tuberculosis will be finally eradicated is even an open question. It is a foe that is very deeply intrenched in the human race. Very hard it will be to eradicate completely, but when we think of what has been done in one generation, how the mortality in many places has been reduced more than 50 per cent., indeed, in some places 100 per cent., it is a battle of hope, and so long as we are fighting with hope the victory is in sight.”—Dr. William Osler.
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OF INDIANA RED CROSS TUBERCULOSIS CAMP.
A GROUP OF COTTAGES OF INDIANA RED CROSS TUBERCULOSIS CAMP.
A SINGLE COTTAGE (IN CENTER) COSTING $60. INDIANA RED CROSS TUBERCULOSIS CAMP.
The Indiana Branch realized $3,851.58 from the sale of Christmas stamps. To dispose of this fund to best advantage in anti-tuberculosis work, the Executive Committee early in February appointed as a sub-committee, with power to act: Dr. Frederick A. R. Tucker, of Noblesville, president of the State Board of Health; Rev. Francis H. Gavisk and James W. Lilly. After providing specific relief in four curable cases, it was found that the greatest good could be accomplished by enlisting local co-operation in the practical work of relief.
A DOUBLE COTTAGE (COSTING $80) OF THE INDIANA RED CROSS TUBERCULOSIS CAMP.
The Indianapolis Board of Health, through its health officer and secretary, Dr. Eugene Buehler, had recently established free clinics at the City Dispensary and Bobbs’ Free Dispensary, and had begun a campaign of publicity, advertising its clinics and carding groceries and meat markets, which were raised to a better sanitary standard, and in various ways, by visitation and distribution of pure food and medicines, surrounding patients at their homes with better hygienic conditions. The need for facilities to isolate and treat curable cases with the necessary fresh air and sunshine resulted in the establishment of a colony of cottages on the City Hospital grounds, the Indiana Branch furnishing the first four—two single and two double cottages. As soon as this became known the Second Presbyterian and St. John’s Catholic churches and private individuals arranged to donate others, until there are now on the grounds eleven cottages. The single cottages cost complete, $62, size 10 × 12; double cottages, 10 × 16, $80. The specifications are:
House, 10 × 16 feet, with concrete foundation under house and porch; foundation to be 6 inches high. Siding to be tongued and grooved drop-siding; framing material to be 2 × 4 placed flatwise 30 inches on centers; flooring and roof material to be tongued and grooved. Hip-roof on main building and shed roof on porch. Porch to be 6 feet wide, with square posts and small rail. Four windows, 35 × 35, with canvas tacked on frame hinged at top. Three windows, 18 × 35, with canvas tacked on frame hinged at top. One glass door to be placed in each single and two in each double house. All lumber to be dressed on both sides and to receive two coats of paint inside and out, color to be selected by owner. Two-ply rubberoid roofing to be placed on roof. Price for cottages outside Indianapolis same, with freight added.
A cottage was also erected, partly through funds provided by the Indiana Branch, to be used in connection with the colony for dining room and kitchen to prepare food for patients and quarters for nurses and cook. This cottage has sewer connection, hot and cold water and sanitary plumbing. Patients’ cottages have electric call bells to summon the nurse, and electric lights are supplied from the City Hospital plant. A bath house is now being erected, providing separate bath rooms for male and female patients.
Adjoining the City Hospital grounds the Flower Mission—a private charity partially supported by public funds—maintains a hospital for incurables. It is the only place in the State where hopeless cases are received. The Flower Mission nurses also minister to the relief of tuberculosis patients at their homes. The branch donated $500 to the furtherance of this work.
The plan inaugurated at Indianapolis under Dr. Buehler’s management contemplates (1) extension of facilities of the colony system to include and care for every offered curable case; (2) minimizing the danger of contagion and infection from chronic or incurable cases by isolation where practicable, or else supervizing the home conditions so as to surround the patient with hygienic comforts, pure food and drugs, and lessen the danger of infection to other members of the household. Both parts of the work are well under way and as fast as funds will permit the work will be extended.
The sub-committee, under the direction of Dr. Tucker, secured like co-operation of local authorities elsewhere in the State, and cottages have been erected as follows: Four in South Bend, four in Terre Haute, six in Evansville, three in Lafayette, and negotiations are pending for supplying Richmond, Fort Wayne, New Albany, Frankfort and Huntington. The branch erects the cottages and the local authorities maintain them. In every case it has proven an effective stimulus to local aid by the municipality and private charity.