Page 3 � report of board of tuberculosis hospital � 1906 � 1915

� ��After a number of meetings, efforts were made to secure a necessary tax levy,

which resulted in the city of Louisville levying a tax of one-half a cent, and the

county of Jefferson levying a tax of one-half a cent for that year. The Board, after

carefully considering the amount of income to be derived from the tax levy, decided

not to make any attempt to inaugurate any work until the revenue derived from several

years taxes would enable them to expend a sufficiently large amount of money to launch

the work properly. In 1908 the funds then on hand were sufficient to permit them to

purchase a site for the erection of the future buildings to be used in the institu-

tional care of persons suffering from tuberculosis. After inspecting many places for

sale as a suitable site, Waverley Hill, on Eighteenth-street Road, about ten miles

from Louisville, was purchased.

��� On June 11, 1908, a committee, consisting of Dr. Meyers and Mr. Dittmar, was

appointed to make a trip for the purpose of looking at institutions of similar char-

acter throughout the country, with a view of building. This committee went to all of

the large Sanatoria in the East, and upon their return, the architect, Mr. Gaffney,

who had accompanied them, recommended and submitted plans for the erection of an ad-

ministration building and two pavilions for the treatment of early cases of tubercu-

losis. The plans were finally adopted and the construction of same authorized. The

Board of Tuberculosis Hospital recognizing the necessity of having a central examin-

ing office and supply station for the care and treatment of patients and the caring

for patients who were to go to the institution at Waverly Hill, took over the Dis-

pensary work, and have gradually added to the nursing staff.

��� During the building of the Waverly Hill institution the Board had not been idle

in furthering the Anti-Tuberculosis Movement.

��� Dr. A. M. Forster, who was the physician in charge of Eudowood, near Baltimore,

Md., was secured as the Medical Director, and he reported for duty on January 1, 1910.

Upon the arrival of Dr. Forster, he was placed in charge of the tuberculosis work at

the Dispensary as well as looking after the equipping of the Sanatorium at Waverly Hill.

The Sanatorium was opened for patients July 26, 1910. The opening ceremonies and for-

mal dedication of the Sanatorium was held October 12, 1910, before a representative

audience, and addresses were made by Mr. Dittmar, on behalf of the Board, Mr. W. C.

Nones, the Mayor, and Mr. Swagar Sherley.

��� The capacity at this time was forty beds for the treatment of early cases of

tuberculosis. In November, Dr. A. M. Forster resigned to go to Colorado Springs, and

Dr. D. S. Wilson, who had constantly (from 1907 to 1910) been the physician in charge

of the Tuberculosis Dispensary, was appointed to succeed Dr. Forster as Medical Direc-

tor and Superintendent. In the early part of 1911, the city of Louisville began to

make preparations to build a new Louisville City Hospital, and the Hospital Commissioners

decided in their plans that there would be no provision made in the new City Hospital

for the admission of pulmonary tuberculosis, and the Board of Tuberculosis Hospital was

given $25,000 to erect a hospital for the care of advanced cases of pulmonary tuber-

culosis, and on August 22, 1911, all of the tuberculosis cases that were at the old

City Hospital were moved to the temporary quarters pending the erection of the per-

manent hospital for their care and treatment on the Waverly Hill grounds.

��� On December 18, 1912, the hospital for advanced cases being completed and equipped

for fifty patients, the patients were removed from the temporary quarters to the more

comfortable building erected for them.

��� In the meantime the training� school for nurses had been started and the Board

of Tuberculosis Hospital could now take pride in the fact that they had accommodation

for ninety patients at the institution, and were caring for more than 400 through

their visiting nursing staff in the homes in the city of Louisville. Gradually the

people of the city and county came to realize the magnitude of the work, and there

has been a corresponding increase in the tax levy each year.

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