THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1882. THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2593, 29 July 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1882. THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

It is to ba .regretted that the active stops taken some time back towards the very desirable object of .establishing a Contagions Diseases Hospital, or perhaps more properly speaking a sanatorium, have not prodnced any practical result. Our readers will remember that the matter came up before the Hospitil Board, and that a depntation was appointed to wait on the City Council, and if we mistake not the Board of Health also, with respect to a site. That part of the duty was certainly discharged, and though for obvious reasons the site selected was kept secret, yet it was understood generally that one had been selected. From that time to this nothing -whatever has been heard of the matter. "We have had what might have been an epidemic of diphtheria breaking oat in St. Albans, and we gather also that the city proper is not altogether free from' the disease. Once let it get a firm hold in the more populous parts of the city and we shall then begin to feel most keenly the want of such an institution as the one spoken of. Without it many of the precautions taken to prevent the spread of disease must be rendered entirely nugatory. Patients cannot be taken to the Hospital, because there is no special accommodation there, nor would it be desirable if there were. The strict isolation, which is the main point in dealing with contagious or infectious diseases, is unable to be procured when the sufferers are obliged to remain in their own private houses. Under these circumstances, there are hundreds of ways in which the disease is disseminated and propagated. With such an institution as the one referred to, situate within easy access of the city, not alone would the chances of the spread of the disease be considerably lessened, but the recovery of the individual patients would be greatly assisted. With all the appliances at his command, with improved ventilation, pure air, and all the other advantages a well appointed institution could afford him, the medical man would meet the disease on far more equal terms than he dees at present. Of course, in connection with this as all other things, the question of cost or rather of ways and means crops up. This being for the general benefit of all, and not for any particular section of the community or special locality, the cost of erecting such a building is a fair charge on the general public revenue. The site is as we understand already decided upon, and, as this belongs to a public body, no very great difficulty seems to stand in the way of acquiring it. Thereis then only the cost of erecting a building, and with respact to this the suggestion of Dr. Doyle deserves careful consideration. At the recent meeting of the Board of Health, Dr. Doyle pointed out , that a section or more of the Exhibition building could have been got at small cost which would be admirably adapted for re-erection as a Contagious Diseases Hospital. It is not even too late now. There already remains undisposed of the very white elephant about which so much has been said, viz , the main transept of' the building, a part or the whole of which could be acquired very reasonably, and relarected on a site chosen. The alterations . requisite, to transform it to its proposed use would cost but little, and we should have erected in our midst an institution which probably may some day be the means of saving hundrods of lives. However, whether the suggestion thrown out by Dr. Doyle be accepted or not, there is no denying this fact that such an institution is a pressing necessity. The outbreak of diphtheria, &c, during cold w«ather has been checked without much trouble. True it is that some households have to mourn the loss of dear ones, but the spread of the disease has not been anything like what it would be were it to break ont once more in the summer months, as is most probable. Therefore, we should like to urge upon the authorities the necessity of vigorous action, so that wo may be prepared to face the coming summer with the knowledge that, so far as sanitary science can do, the risk of an epidemic spreading throughout the city and suburbs has been reduced to a minimum.

THE ARMAGH STREET DEPOT.

How much longer do the Charitable Aid Board intend to keep such an eyesore in the centre of the city as the Armagh street depot ? We have called attention mora than once to the desirableness of changing the site, which conld easily be done, and yield a fair proportion towards the acquisition of another. Apart from the fact that the buildings are totally unfit for the purpose to which they are applied, it must be obvious that the presence of such an institution as this in the midst of the city is not a thing to be desired. Apart from this, and putting the matter oh perhaps a more selfish basis, but still one which is fairly arguable, we contend that the occupying of its present site by the depot tends to retard the progress of the city. The buildings now erected in close contiguity are of a class which, were the site open for sale to-morrow, would be immediately replaced with larger and more pretensions edifices. Thus it will be seen that the value of the adjacent property is to a certain extent depreciated by its surroundings, and this cuts both ways. Not alone have the ratepayers to contribute towards the support of this, in common with the otuer charitable institutions under the Board, but to an institution, the effect of which is to lessen the value of their property, and to deprive the city of increased rates, wo are unable to see a single argument in favor of the retention of the present site. It is not fitted for the purposes ; it is neither more nor less than a nuisance to the surrounding neighbors, and as we have shown, acts prejudicially to the interests of the citizens, both in their private capacity and as burgesses. The site is a very valuable one if put into the market, more so than at first sight appears, because the moment the annoyance and discomfort now experienced is removed, buildings of a far better class will at once be erected. The money arising from such sale could ba used in erecting another building on a more suitable site, which would have the advantage of being planned for the purpose it is intinied to put it to. A central position for such an institution is not needed. Indeed by removing it to the countiy the inmates conld to a huge extent make themselves far more selfsupporting than they can in the present building. We hope, therefore, that the subject will be considered at no distant

date. Thia present buildings «e beginning to look somewhat dilapidated, and before the Board inonr any further expense in patching then up, it will be better to consider the adviaablenesa of selecting a different site altogether.