OCR Text |
Show ! MADE BIG PROFIT FOR STATE Purely Business Argument for the Establishment Es-tablishment of Sanitoriums for th Tuberculosis. According to figures contained in the annual report of Dr. H. L. Barnes, superintendent su-perintendent of the Rhode Island state sanitorium, the earnings of the ex-patients ex-patients of that institution during the year 1911 would amount to over $2tiG,-000. $2tiG,-000. This is a sum three times as large as that spent each year for maintenance main-tenance of the institution, including four per cent, interest and depreciation deprecia-tion charges. The actual earnings In 1911 of 170 ex-patients were obtained by Dr. Barnes. These ranged from $2 to $31 per week, the total earnings for the year amounting to ?102,752. On this basis, Dr. Barnes computes the figures above given. He says, however: how-ever: "While institutions for the cure of tuberculosis are good investments, there is good reason for thinking that institution for the isolation of far-advanced far-advanced cases would be still better investments.' Out of a total of 46,450 hospital days' treatment given, 39,147, or 84 per cent., were free, the treatment costing the state on an average ?200 per patient. Out of 188 free cases investigated, 56 had no families and no income on admission ad-mission to the sanitorium. Out of 132 patients having homes, the number num-ber in the family averaged 5.2, and the average family earnings were 5.46. In 59 cases the families had no income, and in only five cases were there any savings, none of which amounted to as much as $100. |