Page:LewisMeriam-TheProblemOfIndianAdministration.djvu/322

Drolet, of the New York Tuberculosis and Health Association, in 1926, reports a questionnaire survey of tuberculosis hospitalization in the United States.^[1] In this report, he states that in 177 institutions studied, the average cost of establishing a tuberculosis bed was $3761. In the Indian Service the cost per bed at Talihina was $766.66, Fort Lapwai and the Phcenix infirmary unit building costs in the Indian Service are lower than on the outside partly because labor and oftentimes materials are cheaper. This, however, does not account for all of the discrepancy. A casual comparison of Indian Service sanatoria with the average state, county or city sanatorium will reveal at once the very poor construction and equipment provided.

The expenditures made for maintenance of sanatoria and the average per diem costs are listed in the accompanying table.

Drolet, in the study mentioned above, furnishes information on this point for 198 institutions representing 32,073 beds. The average cost of maintenance per patient was $21.60 per week for beds used, or $3.08 per day. With this figure of $3.08 may be contrasted the Indian Service figures of $1.36 for sanatoria and $1.95 for sanatorium schools.

Indian Service statistics showing per diem costs in sanatoria, 1926 and 1925

Indian Service statistics showing per diem costs in sanatorium schools, 1926 and 1925