The Treatment of Consumptives in their Homes

Publication Date: January 1907

Publisher:

Author(s): F.L. Wachenheim

Research Area: Health

Keywords: funding; health; social services; poverty

Type: Other

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

The author acknowledges that treating tuberculosis patients in their homes can be effective if they have had effective treatment and are relatively healthy, although these patients still require frequent visits by professional nurses and financial aid in order to ensure proper nutrition. More advanced or serious cases, however, require institutionalization so as to protect the immediate family of the victim from infection. A poor family will not have the resources to provide proper care, space, and cleanliness, to prevent the infection from spreading, whether the patient is the primary wage earner or not. The Jewish community must provide support for creating more beds for such patients, since existing Jewish resources are too limited and many Jews, for religious reasons, would not accept institutionalization where their dietary and other requirements are not respected.

In Proceedings of the 4th National Conference of Jewish Charities, 1906, Kohn & Pollock, Inc.