New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-27
HOSPITAL ABUSES.


CHARGES OF GROSS MIsMANAGEMENT AND NEG
LECr-INCAPABLE PHYSICIANS AND INIiUMAN
ORDEBLIEs-THE GRIEVANCES OF PATIENTS
AS RECITED BY THEMSELVES.
correspondent sends to THE TRIBUNE
rather startling series of statements concerning the
manner in which patients treated at Bellevue and
other hospitals under the charge of the Commissioners of
CHARITIES and Corrections Certainly there few large
cities in the Old World, the authorities Of which
strongly tempted TO Cypress the patients who
from day to day thrown upon their merces OF the
100000 emlgTants who reach the United States annually,
only very small proportion land at other port than
New-York. Since such a motley multitude is annually
brought to this port and since the causes which usually
produce shifting pauper population in large cities
very active here it would not be surprising II the o
cias have tho public hospitals In charge became
miss in the performance OF their duties, especially If their
superiors fail to exercise vigilance in directing their
lab0rs. The following few Of the allegations made
concerning the ilreatment Of patients in Bellevue Hos
pital;
Whether the patient is taken from tho streets, tho
saton-house, the garrett without regard to the pos
sbilities of filth vermin s person or clothing, he
put bed without being washed orrecelvDg change
Of clothing The beds are thus continually filed with
vermn, which transferred from one patient TO an
other The and attendants are generally re-
crted from the lowest classes. One sheet week is
given to each patient, and il this becomes soled,
change OF nen is not granted When patient dies his
change the bedding The medical inspectors mako loud
complaints If pocket handkerchief found on 1.-THE bed
or under the pillow, but not word Is SAID ABOUT Verm
| and filth.
classification of PATIENTS and an instance IL gwen or
suffering from attack of delirlum tremens who
the night because il one had asked physician to
transfer him TO cell, the officers dignity would have
! been offended.
patient said: al cannot complain of the treatment
Of the physician and Warden; they do oil they can with
removed from bed few minutes before tho arrival OF
patient who Is placed between the same sheets have
had the sheets two months, and was even then
! 10th to part with them, knowing that those which
was told to pick of tho verRin for exercise, and fire.
ue S wE prevails in some II not in Of
lie allowed lie bed, is considered cruel ana in
estimates his strength and in few hours wishes 70 lie
doTn while he 5 ute ad no 10 ann and @
either be sick in bed able to sit in uncomfortable
chair The food Is greasy soup dipped Win diI.y
by such that the Commissioners enabled
the department The attention Of the Citizens Assocla-
tlOn called TO these grievances, and IL appointed
mittee, after giving two weeks notice to the Commits
missoner visited the hospital but Its report never
Tic cites several letters recently received
by him. extracts from which are appended
VOICES FROM TIE HOSPITAL WARDS.
soldiers widow. writing from the Alms-House.
dirty aud bad We have plenty Of bread for breakfast
and something wtich they call Coffee swoetoned with
! InOasses. For dinner have soup which cannot lie
eaten for when one lifts with the spoon 1t ia like hair
Thursday, mutton, Of which we get about us much as
would feed Bird Friday, goldfish, and saturday,
other days with our fingers. Food is brought
from the cookhouse to the dningro in wooden pals.
In which Stops afterward carried TO the hogs There
hundreds OF hogs here but what they do with them
do not As for the doctors, they boys. We
/ Ia a
attentive. But what could he do for U.S. We want
something which we can eat We have no fire, although
young man. who had four months experience in The
Charity Hospital, Blackwels Island states that tho
Ordcries treat the patients with baharty and relates
instances OF drg1henness neglect and cruelty he says
to make the patients feel that Is matter Of
Ss s r
result The patients appeal in vain to the doctors for re-
orderly in my ward he says 6abituSily treated the
SICK IN very inhuman manner One marked instance
day. The orderly returned from New York about y.
that day. under the influence Of liquor and staggered
about with tho medicines which the patients should have
received three hours before lie came to the bed OF
man who bad been IN the hospital over two nonhs and
The orderly abused him cruelty, and said very many
shameful things hi@ The doctor Is often asked 70
It changed IA any respect during the four months was
As to tho medical treatment the wards visited daily
by young students many Of whom have not apparently
boys depend the lives Of many men OF respectable
! autecedents An experienced medical visits the
wards at irregular intervals. left two patients III
tho ward both in the last stages or consumption, VINO
were coughing almost necessarily The breath Of one
Of them was offensive at times that 1t fouled the ward
Tho Young doctors In passing round seemed scarcely 10
notice these two unfortunate men. Thy, as wen as All
Others who had not dollar or two to give the Orderly
occasionally, treated by him not only wth mail
According to the rules Of the hospital tho Doctor de
termines who shall be up and who shall DO III bed Those
ordered to be up have to rise before a. and remain
up until after p No matter how weak or ntigtod
poor fellow becoe during the day, he must not o
down. IT IL great Oensc to touch your bed during mo
There two chairs Ia the ward for 80 PATIENTS and each
bed IL furnished with a small stool Those who 10
lie bed must lie IN IL all day aud to that end
their clothes are taken away"
The statements OF patients must be received with GER
tain atons not only the matter OF food but
also With reference to medical care sick persons
naturally critical. Since, however 1t is only through
complaints Of patients that hospital abuses are bkey to
,e exposed, these allegations merit attention. When
visitors enter tho Wards Il Ia difficult for them to dis
cover abuses OF this natnTe General charges made
by physicians concerning serious abuses ~ the hospitals
for their patients ODy by waiting in tho hospitals t sec
that the orders carried into effect The intense DO
ecOnomzc il the most reputable cause tnai ~ az
sigued for this delinquency. Again, wrong medicines
often given by the Ignorant Ordcrllos economy re-
curing that who willing TO work for sf month
mothers, into conpanlOnsp with the lowest
prOsiltnteb there being attempt at classification
Is ale god tat many OF tho nnlo servants or the WO-
mems department OF Bellevue Hospital arc prostitutes
and common culits from Backgells Island Patients,
from the fear OF Ill treatment will not tell visitors what
tDey sitber
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