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Show LEGISLATORS REFUSE TO AID TUBERCULOSIS At a mooting held recently in the state capital the matter of introducing introduc-ing a bill in tlie legislature, for the erection of and maintenance of a state tuberculosis sanatorium wns discussed. There were present at said meeting: Hon. George Albert Smith, chairman of the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium, committee, Dr. T. B. Beatty, state health commissioner, com-missioner, Dr. Alfred Blumberg, Senator LeRoy Dixon, Miss- Kate Williams and James H. Wallis, members of the executive committee of the Utah Public Health, association associa-tion were present; George D. Key-ser, Key-ser, president,. Dr. Heber J. Sears, Dr. C. N. Jensen, state school superintendent, super-intendent, Mrs. Clarissa S. Williams, Dr. O. K. Hansen, mayor of Provo and Mrs. W. C. Howe. On the invitation of Senator Dixon, the following members of the legislature were present: Senators John S. Lewis, David Jensen, Clarence Clar-ence L. Funk, G. Frank Ryan, Wil-ford Wil-ford W. Warnick, Jos. T. Finlinson, David Hirschi and Representative Chas B. Petty. George Albert Smith presided and in his opening remarks, alluded to the tuberculosis situation in1 Utah, and the urgent necessity of the state doing something to care for those suffering with this dread disease and protecting the well people from becoming infected. He reviewed the work which had been, done by the Utah Public Health association and the Tuperculosis Sanatorium committee com-mittee for the proposed sanatorium and spoke of the meetings held last fall with T. B. Kiduer of the Nl-tional Nl-tional uberculosis association and Dr. James Waring of Denver, both eminent national authorities in j sanatorium planning. He also stated ' that elaborate specifications for a proposed institution for Utah's needs had been prepared by Mr. Kidner, together with valuable suggestions sug-gestions in preparing plans.- A bill had also been drawn, to be introduced in-troduced in the legislature providing fof the necessary appropriation, if those present concluded after thoroughly thor-oughly investigating the matter, that this was the proper thing to do. Senator Dixon, a member of the senate committee on public health, who had been requested to interview members of the legislature, and make a report, stated that he had done so, and it was his opinion that a measure asking for funds at this time, when the demand for a reduction reduc-tion of taxes is so general, would fail of passage and might hurt the cause when the legislature next convened. con-vened. Each senator present endorsed the conclusions of Senator Dixon and i expressed their deep sympathy with the movement; that while they personally per-sonally favored the proposed legislation, legis-lation, they were pledged to vote against any measure proposing additional ad-ditional burdens in taxation and should they have to do so, their votes might be misinterpreted by those who did not understand the situation. Brief addresses were made by others present in which it was pointed out that there are approximately approxi-mately 1,500 people suffering with tuberculosis in) Utah and that the average number of deaths each year for the ten years ending 1923, was 184. In the absence of proper home ; treatment and no sanatorium to which to take the infected cases, it was shown that it was impossible to expect any appreciable decline in ; thd death rate. Dr. C. N. Jensen offered the fol- 1 lowing motion seconded by Dr. Heber J. Sears: Resolved, that , it he the sense of this meeting in view of the demand for tax reduction from all over the state and after hearing from members of the legislature legis-lature present, as to the hoplessness of success, that no attempt be made at this session of the legislature to secure an appropriation for a state tuberculosis sanatorium, but that a statement covering the transactions and conclusions of this meeting be .prepared by the chairman, Hon. George Albert Smith and given to the public, setting forth in detail the reasons why this action is deemed advisable. The motion was unanimously unan-imously adopted. |