Association of Tuberculosis Clinics
It was formed in 1907 with eight clinics in Manhattan and The Bronx, and was considered to be a forward movement of great importance in the tuberculosis campaign in New York City.
[2] Until the permanent alliance of medical and social experts was arranged, the work for the care of consumptives was done in such an unsystematized fashion that the physicians, visiting nurses and charity agents were forced to take up cases without reference to each other.
The division of the labor of the hospitals and clinics geographically instead of by affiliations of race and color was considered a radical step, but it was proved successful.
[3] The Association was formed with several objectives: To organize dispensary control of tuberculosis in New York City and to develop a uniform system of operation of such dispensaries as are organized for this purpose; to retain patients under observation until they are satisfactorily disposed of, and to prevent their drifting from one dispensary to another; to facilitate the attendance of patients at the dispensary most convenient to their homes; to facilitate the work of visiting nurses in the homes of patients; to provide for each patient requiring it, assistance by special funds or through benevolent organizations and proper hospitals, sanatorium or dispensary care; to coöperate with, and assist as far as possible, the Department of Health in the supervision of tuberculosis; to do any and all acts and things which may lawfully be done to aid in securing any of the above-named objectives; and generally to combat and assist in combating tuberculosis and to alleviate and assist in alleviating its effects.
John Billings, R. A. Fraser, John H. Huddleston, Abraham Jacobi, James C. Greenway, Alfred Meyers, James Alexander Miller, Henry S. Patterson, Henry L. Shively, Arthur M. Shrady, and Bertram H. Waters, representing the eleven tuberculosis clinics in the city, and the associate members stood for various charitable organizations working among the poor of the city.
Until these arrangements were started, the work for the care of consumptives was done in such an unsystematized fashion that the physicians, visiting nurses and charity agents were forced to take up cases without reference to each other.
The division of the labor of the hospitals and clinics geographically instead of by affiliations of race and color was considered a radical step, but it was proved successful.
[7] The total number of patients in Greater New York reported as under the care of the clinics belonging to the Association during 1918 was 44,24, as against 46,266 in 1917, a loss of 4%.
Sinai attempted to establish a special children's clinic, but after several months was obliged to abandon the experiment because of the lack of sufficient physicians and nurses.
[11] The Association established requirements for admission to its membership:[3] The Association brought about a district organization of tuberculosis clinic work thus eliminating a great deal of confusion and conserving the time and energy of both patients and the clinic personnel.
[3] A system of monthly reports from the individual clinics to the central office was instituted by the Association.
[3] The Association organized conferences of tuberculosis workers with the aim of discussing the problems encountered in the work and methods of meeting them.
