Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-06-11
For the Democrat.

MFssRs. EDITos: ] notice in your paper ~ last
week communication signed "a Tax Payer" up
on the subject Of the County Hospital, urging an en-
tire change in the mode Of providing for the ind
gent sick in this county. The subject is one which
nearly concerns all taxpayers and should be care
fully considered BY then in more than one point Of
view before experimental changes are veutured up
on aud therefore offer few SuggeSIiOnain OppO.
slti"n to the position Of Tar Payer.
In the communication referred 10 clearly dis
Germ the footprints Of one who for four successive
years, has been an unsuccessful bidder for the Hos
pital contract under the present system and there
fore pardon the evident spleen which prompted an
unjust attack upon the Board Of Supervisors and
the present contractors; and the use If such ex.
pressOns as L" inhuman SYSTEM" "heathenish and
unutterable cruelty" the County Hospital is made
buTlesque on charity" &C.. &C., with which said
communication is nerlarded nd nGuiedm.
The statements Of Tax Payer are loose and incor.
rect. lie says:
the first place has cost this County full Forty
thousand dOsrs-1i5, OOO-undcF the contract system
year Of the number excepting the present year. hA
ing over an average Of twelve patients nhaGitng the
institution,
The figures are as follows: The contract price for
the first year WAS tl5OOO; for the second year. &l
500 for the third year, $1,000; for the fourth year.
$1,000. do not know the average number Of pa
tents for the first two years but for the third year
the average number constantly in the Hospital
lf,-fOr the fourth year, u. When the contract
was first let the number Of applicants who would
have 10 be provided for Hhd the cost Of keeping
them was matter Of conjecture. The thing was an
experiment, bus the sum FIR which the contract was
then let, was tjo0O less than any other responsible
bid. But the argument VI Tax Payer from his own
statement is unfair, because Of the generality Of his
statement Of facts. The question is not whether
t45,0Oo is too much for keeping II patients four
years, but whether t7,0VO or less is too much for
Keeping ri patients one year In considering an 0b.
JecfIon TO the contract system il is not material TO
inquire whether the county in former yenrs paid too
! largely for the services rendered. but whether we
are paying too much now or in danger Of paying
: too much hereafter.
The average number Of applicants in the Hospital
has increased with every year. During the past
: year the average number has been 81. For the
coming year the number will probably be greater
especially il the immigration is large. But let US
see what the Contractors do for the e. 900 per
annum which they receive.
/ AueI puIulnB hHu RTOunuN, con-
vcnent- Snuutcd and well adapted to the use Ofthe
sick.
! Second. They furnish all tho beds and bedding,
w"'d. stoves, cr"cEcry and glassware, cooking
utensils, fixtures, furniture and all 0f the things
necessary for the comfort and convenincc III the &C.
, cupants.
Third-They employ and pay nurses and assist
ants sufficient u take care Of the sick who may be
in the Hospital.
Fourth They furnish all the provisions Of every
kind and medicines and see that the one is properly
prepared aud the other properly administered.
Fifth-They furnish all. surgical implements and
appliances, and give their professional attention and
services 10 the sick under their care.
! Sixth-They bury at their own expense all who
die in the Hospital.
II will be seen by simple ariihmatical calcuIa-
ton that for all the above services expenses aud
supplies the present Hospital contractors receive
pay from the County al the rate Of only 81 cents
per day for each patient; and for this every.
thing is furnished which the patient possibly re-
quire, except the single article Of wearing apparel
| We venture the assertion that in no County in this
State which ut oil takes Of its INDECENT -ick has
the expense been at less rate than it is at present
say that the compens atOn received by the Hospital
hysicianb is too great provided the duties Of their
! portion are honestly and faithfully discharged.
Again Tax.Payer says:
Sacramento, with the Hospital directly under the con.
troll Of Its Beard OF supervisors
age, Seventy-Hve patients for the last year,
Of ten thousand dollars INK Of the above sum- the
entire expenses Of the iIo,pita even 10 6rni.hin0
stoves, new beds, etc etc.
have taken the trouble to examine the reports
OF the Sacramento Hospital Physician, a. published
for the past six months, and find that the highest
number in the Hospital at any one time SO, and
that the average number does not exceed 50. by
the monthly report Of the Hospital Physician, pub.
lished the Daily Union on the 7th Of this month
It appears that on the LIST Of Nay last there were
only As patients in the Sacramento Hospital. On
the 1St day Of June inst, only ~. by the report
published in February it appears that the expense
for provisions alone in the Sacramento Hospital 10
80 cents per day for each patient which would
amount TO about $4,000 for so patients, and $4,000
for rs. And when we consider that the expense for
provisions alone 10 not more than one third of the
entire expense attending the proper care ofthe sick
It will DO seen how reCkleSSly untrue must DO the
statement that the entire expense Of the County Hos
pital in Sacramento is not more than $4,000.
Az SOuS'uettuB Tue ~ eteul winch bnOulu De euOps
ted in the care Of the INDECENT sick, two things are
to be kept in view,-one, that the sick shall be
properly cared for; second that this shall be done
at the least possible expense. think every man
will concede that when the cost 10 not more than 81
cents per head per day for everything, It is as low
as is consistent with the proper care Of the Sick
An individual, making his own purchases and con-
tracts and hiring his own help and himself prompt
y paying cash for everything. can of course carry
on such an institution much more cheaply than the
same could be done BY hired agents Of the county,
who would have no PecuDiary interest in the con.
tracts they might make Public agents, 10 expeud.
ing the money Of the public have not in this State
proved themselves so Immaculate as to be implicitly
trusted with free use Of the public funds And IL
is my belief that II the system urged BY Tax Payer
were adopted, this cOuuty would at once be paying
ct least two dollars per day for the same service and
supplies which It now gets for 81 cents.
AZ to the objection TO the contract system, have
to say that one system 10 good % another, pro-
vided under 1t the sick properly cared for. Il is
true that with bad, INSCRIPTIONS or incompetent
contractor great abuses might arise under the con.
tract system-As also might DO the case il the cOun.
~ employed wicked or dishonest agents. But
vanAnra In aaa@ek hat hn o.oOI. "a,