, 1872-12-02

rine hospitals, has been attended with taVora-
Bile results. The commission Of per cent al
lowed to collectors Of customs Bince the organ
ization of the service in 1893, not being in &C
cordance with the Law, was abolished July I,
1871, which was saved to the fund nearly S4,ooo
during the last year
The department. work Of the Marine aospltal
service, which was formerly allotted to the Rev-
enuo Marine Division has, under the act Tor the
reorganization Of the Marine Hospital service,
approved June go, 1870, come under the lmme-
date supervision Of the supervising surgeon
In this branch Of the service the supervising
surgeon has been assisted by E. &. Whitaker,
Esq, Reinhold Springsguth, Esq, and DR.. H. ".
Sanrel1e. In order 70 transact the rapidly in
creasing business Of the office, each Of these
gentlemen has not only declined the usual leave
Of absence, but has continued throughout the
year to work overtime, Mr. Whitaker, in partic-
lar, having rendered additional service equal to
about five days in each month. Although re-
ceiving but 81 800, 81 400 and 81, 200 respect
lively, these gentlemen have cheerfully made
these personal sacrifices without extra compen-
sation.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
/ would respectfully recommend that Congress
be asked 30 to amend the law regulating the
Marine Hospital service as to include within its
provinces the officers and sean1en Of the revenue
cutters, coast survey vessels, vessels of the En-
gineer Corps of the Army, and Of the Light
house Board. 1t is suggested that yachts might
properly be included, as the sea1nen employed
thereon are usually selected from among those
who are engaged for G. portion Of the year on
merchant vessels, and who, during such time,
come under the operation Of the law.
The term Fsearnen" " should be defined go as
to include Ill employees on such vessels as are
subject to hospital tax.
an act approved May 8, 1902 (Vo1. 2, Statutes, p.
1889, which fixes charge for the care and treat
ment Of foreign seamen at rs cents per diem, and
suggests that Congress be asked 80 to amend the
charge at each port where there is 8 United
States Marine Hospital, in order to cover the
equal expense Of food, medicine, and nursing.
Under the operation Of the present Ia" tho loss
to the present fund in consequence OF maintain
ing foreign seamen amounts to several thousand
dollars per annum. This provision Of an ancient
statute works manifest injustice in the admins
tration Of the service.
NEW HOSPITALS.
I Respectfully recommend the purchase OF
site convenient to the port of New York, and
the erection thereon OF a pavilion hospital OF
200 bed capacity. renew the suggestion made
last year for the erection of q pavilion hospital
on Angel Island, in the bay Of San Francisco,
selected for that purpose, the formor to accom-
1nodate $50 patients. and the latter 80 patients.
The present hospital for the port OF Pittsburgh,
located near Allegheny City, is unfit for future
use, on account Of it's unfayorable surroundings;
but the land is valuable. and should sell for
nearly double the amount that will bo required
both to purchase suitable site and to pay for
the erection OF q new hospisal.
I particularly favor constructing all of the
hospitals Of wood, and destroying them after ten
or fifteen years, both as . sanitary and econom-
ical measure, and building new ones in their
stead. The prime object to be attained is to se-
cure favorable results in the treatment OF dis
eases and injuries, an object which has been, in
the past, subordinate to architectural design and
frequently to the fa7oring Of certain localities.
A permanent building Of brick or stone should
be constructed, adjacent to and separate from
each hospital building, to contain the heating
apparatus and laundry. At New York and San
Francisco there should be q residence for tho
surgeon separate from the hospital.
The present hospital buildings at Natchez,
Miss. Gcracoke, N. c., New Orleans and San
Francisco are Of no use to the service. Tho first
two named are located at ports whero no appli-
oations are received tor relief, and the last two
are unfit for use, .
Summary statement Of the operations Of the
Marine Hospital service Tor the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1879, as compared With the
Eror