REPORT

OF THE

Committee on the New York State Hospital for

the Treatment of Incipient Pulmonary

Tuberculosis.

REPORT.

To the State Board of Charities:

Your Committee on the New York State Hospital for the treatment of Incipient Pulmonary Tuberculosis respectfully reports that by chapter 416 of the Laws of 1900 the Legislature made provision for a State hospital for the treatment of incipient pulmonary tuberculosis. Under this act the Governor was empowered to appoint a board of five trustees, whose first duty was to select the site for such hospital, and after its approval by the State Board of Health and the Forest Preserve Board, proceed with the construction and equipment of suitable buildings upon plans adopted by them and approved by the State Architect and the State Board of Charities. An appropriation of $50,000 was made to establish the institution.

In accordance with the provisions of the statute the Governor appointed as trustees Howard Townsend and Walter Jennings, of New York; Dr. Willis G. McDonald, of Albany; Dr. John H. Pryor, of Buffalo, and Dr. Frank E. Kendall, of Saranac Lake. Mr. Townsend was subsequently elected President of the Board of Trustees. The site chosen by the Board of Trustees was not approved, and new legislation was enacted in 1901.

By chapter 691 of the Laws of 1901 the sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as may be found necessary, was appropriated for the construction of the necessary buildings for this institution whenever the site should be determined. It is contemplated that these buildings shall furnish accommodations for at least 100 patients, besides the officers, employes and attendants of the hospital. The appropriation is intended to provide not only for the construction of the buildings but as well for the heating, lighting, plumbing, laundry fixtures, water supply,

the construction of roads, and also for the equipment and furnishing of the hospital.

This act also provided for the selection of the site by a commission composed of the Governor, the Hon. Timothy E. Ellsworth, President pro tem. of the Senate, and the Hon. S. Fred Nixon, Speaker of the Assembly. This commission selected a site at Raybrook in the fall of 1901. The State Board of Charities has had no responsibility in connection with the location of the hospital.

The State Architect has made the plans and contracts have been entered into under which work has commenced. It is expected that the main building will be finished, ready for the installation of furniture and equipment, in the fall of 1902.

The site selected is in the heart of the Adirondacks, but can be reached easily by the Mohawk and Malone railway, from which a switch will be laid to the grounds.

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Under the law establishing the hospital no person who has not been a citizen of this State for at least one year preceding the date of application may be received as a patient. Every person desiring free treatment in said hospital shall apply to the local authorities of his or her town, city or county having charge of the relief of the poor, who shall thereupon issue a written request to the superintendent of said hospital for the admission and treatment of such person. Such request shall state in writ ing whether the person is able to pay for his or her care and treatment while at the hospital, which request and statement shall be kept on file by the superintendent of the hospital. Admissions to said hospital shall be made in the order in which the names of applicants shall appear upon the application book to be kept as above provided by the superintendent of said hospital, in so far as such applications are subsequently certified by the examining physician to be suffering from incipient pulmonary tuberculosis. Every person who is declared as herein provided to be unable to pay for his or her care or treatment shall be transported to and from the hospital at the expense of said local authorities."

As to the support of free patients the act provides:

Section 15. Support of free patients.-At least once in each month the superintendent of the hospital shall furnish to the Comptroller a list countersigned by the treasurer of the hospital of all the free patients in the hospital, together with sufficient facts to enable the Comptroller to collect from the proper local official having charge of the relief of the poor such sums as may be owing to the State for the examination, care and treatment of the patients who have been received by the hospital, and who are shown by the statement of such local official to be unable to pay for their care and treatment. The Comptroller shall thereupon collect from the said local official the sums due for the care and treatment of each such patient at a rate not exceeding five dollars per week for each patient.

In connection with this hospital it will be seen that the State has adopted the policy of caring for patients at the expense of the local authorities by whom they are sent to the institution, thus making a new departure, the outcome of which will be watched with interest.

Respectfully submitted,

STEPHEN SMITH, M. D.,

Chairman.

December 1901.