Daily national Democrat., 1859-12-20
QaiIg 9latlonal lcmorrat.
To The PHblIc,

demanded in their investigations in regard to
that institution.
In order that the Jury might be thorough
ly informed of the condition of the Hospital
In all its departments, 1t was determined to
appoint a Committee of Physicians, who
should be associated with the Committee on
the Hospital appointed from the body of III,
Jury, and that this Joint Committee should
make their examination and report to the
Grand Jury
The undersigned composed this Joint Com
mttee. resolution instrueting us AS TO ou
duties was passed by the Grand Jury and
furnished to the Committee. By its terms
we were authorized to make examination into
and report upOnthe domestica and medical man
agement ofthe Hospital and to make such sug
gestions in regard to its more economical and
financial management as to us might seem
proper.
The duty assigned us was an unpleasant
and laborious one. We undertook the task
reluctantly and tried to discharge our duties
faithfully, SO that the public good and the
cause of humanity might be subserved by
our action Our report was submitted to
the Grand Jury, and by vote it was adopted
and embodied into and made part of the Re
port of the Jury.
From the facts contained in this report the
Jury concluded that the contractor for the
care of the INDECENT sick, had failed to comply
with his contract, and recommended that ali
monies, due or to become due under it, be
with held from him by proper legal process.
Subsequent to the adjournment of the Jury
and the publication of their report. the con
tractor issued IA statement to the public. i'm
which he denies the truth OF some of the al
legations made in our report and seeks to
impugn the motives of .the committee on hos.
pital and the members of the Grand Jury, in
making their report and the recommendations
based upon it.
That the report was true in every particu-
lar, and that the Grind Jury was right in
making the recommendations it Gid upon the
strength of that report WE proceed to show:
1t will be observed by those who have
read the report of the Committee on Hospi.
tails as adopted by the Grand Jury, and the
statements of the Hospital Contractor, DR..
Geller that there were many charges made
in the report of the Committee which were
not denied by the Contractor These we
conclude, since they are not denied, are to
be taken as confessed and considered as trne
Let us see what these statements are: -
lst, 1t is not denied that the bedsteads are
full of bugs and that the bodies of some of
the patients were covered with the bites of
these vermiu.
Robert Gill, an employee, swears that he
has been engaged part of almost every day
for the past eleven months in cleansing and
scalding bedsteads and bedding to free them
of bugs. But Mr.. Gill is careful not to swear
that he has succeeded in, after his arluous
labors, in destroying the bugs, for the beds
are literally alive with them, as the Commit
tee know from ocular demonstration.
I'd. 1t is not denied that the blankets and
bedding used by some of the patients are
lousy.
The Contractor says I" the utter falseness of
this and other charges will be perceived 10y
the atfidavts which are appended TO his state.
ment." The atfidavits make no reference
whatever to this charge.
Sd. 1t is not denied that there has been
no general washing of the blankets used in
the Hospital.
The Contractor says the atidavit3 refute
this charge also but no'reference is made to
it in the atfidavits.
4th 1t is not denied that there is def
ciencv of blankets. This charge is met bv
the Contractor in the same way as the two
charges which prece1e it. Ii is refuted by
the aftidavits, he says, yet the afiidavits con-
tain not u word on the subject. The truth
is, the deficiency of blankets was lameutably
apparent to the Committee Numbers of pa
tients had but one buuket; one gray headed
old man she'd tears as he showed the Com
lnittee his single blanket, which was his only
covering from the cold at night, and stated
that he had asked for more covering. but that
it was denied to him. and that he had con-
toI a frnu
9th 1t is not denied that there is only one
sheet and one pillow slip to some beds while
to others there is neither sheet or slip.
9Th 1t is not denied that a Chinaman, who
is a county patient, for whom the contractor
is receiving 81 80 per day, as sick man,
is doing the washing for the Hospital.
1t is undoubtedly profitable business for
the contractor to have this Chinese patient
do his washing, but it was a matter of won
derment 20 the committee, as it doubtless has
been to the tax payers. that the Visiting
Physician of the Hospital did not advise the
Chinaman to change his quarters to some OF
the Chinese wash houses in the city, and
there follow his useful calling.
7th.-It is not denied that n pauper is
kept at work about the hospital doing seryi-
ce which should give him wages, the contrae
tor receiving 81 per day for his board.
1t will not be denied that another pauper,
worked for wages in the hay fields near the
hospital during the past summer, moving
fifteen acres of grass for one man, (Mr VIII
lianls, and as many for another Mr. llarris,)
and doing as much work as the ablest bodied
man in the field This fact is demonstrated
by the affidavit Of Mr.. Williams. For this
pauper the contractor also received 81 per
day.
Shit is not denied that the patients too
sick to go to the priyy use open tin pans
which remain in the wards often for hours, to
poisen the atmosphere with their contents,
until waiter or some patient emptes them
into the privy.
9th.-It is not denied tha employees and
patients smoke in the halls and wards OF the
hospital
l0th.-It is not denied that too many pa
tients are crowded into the wards on tie up
per story of the hospital, while there are
rooms on the lower floor, which if occupied
by the county patients would relieve the
over-crowded condition of the wards above
lth.-It is not denied that all the patients,
without regard to the diseases with which
they may be afflicted, are served with the
same fare One patient, John Hickey, dis
ease diarrhoea. had been in the Hospital two
months. He told us that he was no better
when we saw him than when he entered the
Hospital; that his food had been like that OF
the rest Of the patients-coifee, bread and
stew, for breakfast, soup and bread Ter am
ner, and tea and bread for supper. 1t IS the
opinion of the committee that his disease VIII
become chronic and he be fixture at the
Hospital unless his diet be changed.
l2th-It is not denied that patients Just
frorh the States from other counties in thi'
State. and from Utah, are in the Hospital ai
q charge to the people of this county