Governor Says State Sanatorium Finds Not So Bad, and Turning Out Patients Not a New Policy, Sept. 1, 1925

Gov. McLean’s Investigation of Situation at State Sanatorium

By M.L. Shipman

Raleigh, Aug. 31—The Governor issued an official statement Sunday morning declaring he had investigated conditions at State Sanatorium for Tuberculars and found conditions better than heretofore, no reason for alarm, and that the turning out of patients was NOT a new policy.

He criticized the Associated Press for sending out a story portraying conditions at the Sanatorium which focused public attention on the institution. He backed up his statement with letters from the officers of the institution regretting the impression which had gotten out. It was stated that if an emergency arose it would be cared for at any and all state institutions.

The Associated Press replying to the Governor’s criticism merely contended itself with reciting that its story had been used with an official statement from Sanatorium as its basis, that 15 days had elapsed and no denial of the store had been made until the Governor investigated the situation and pointed out that the essential facts that patients were to be turned out was not denied nor was it denied that shortage of room was the reason. The press organization added its regret that the story had been construed to mean maintenance funds were low and stated its basis for this was the statement of the superintendent of Sanatorium that no funds had been provided to care for maintenance of prisoners for 1925-27 while $37,500 a year had been provided during the previous biennium for each year.

As the situation stands, it is apparent that patients will be required to leave within 18 months after they were taken into the institution or as soon as possible thereafter. The Governor’s investigation has not changed the status of this order of the Board though it explained its reasons for issuing the order. The earlier press reports on Sanatorium cited this as a major fact. Patients will be turned out of Sanatorium because of lack of room.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Sept. 1, 1925

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