The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-23
The Police Board.
Medical Quacks

The Police Board has for some time en-
joyed quite an immunity from criticism by
reason Of the number of other subjects which
were pressing upon public attention, but
their acts are becoming 50 fagrantly unjust
and 50 palpably injurious to the interests
of the community that they merit more
than passing notice.
1t is not 0nr purpose, just now, to go into
an analysis Of the Board, or to hold up any
special member thereof for public inspec
tion but to refer to their action in reference
to the recent appointment of three so-called
surgeons, instead of two, as the law re-
quires
The three surgeons who are now officiating
are DR.. Ames, J. s. Clark and F. Schumach-
cognized as a physician of experience and
skill, while the other two individuals are
entirely unfit for their positions, being I'M
able to give correct dag lssis OF the SIM
plest case. Clark recently gave policeman
a certificate for bilious fever, whereas the
poor fellow had severe case of smallpox,
and Schumacher has done things showing
an equal amount of ignorance and stupidity.
Why were these two men selected to fill
these important positions ? Was it because
they are Obedient and subservient partisans
and can be counted upon in any emergency
There could have been no other reason
for their appointment, for they are notori-
ously incompetent to perform the onerous
and very responsible duties which devolve
upon them. The inmates of the Parish
Prison and Houses of Refuge, the police,
and all the patients over whom the city has
control, are treated by these men, and upon
the heads of the members of the Police
Board will rest the responsibility for every
murder committed by these bungling prac-
titioners. We say murder, because it will
be rank murder whenever patient dies
through the unskillful practice of these
wretched charlatans. Perhaps the board,
in appointing three surgeons %, thought to
make up in quantity what was lacking in
quality, and perhaps they fancied that if
they kept the expenses OF the department
within a certain amount they might EN-
ploy legion of politicians and pay them
surgeons; but if so, they have made a sefi
Gus error in both instances.
No policeman would care to he expert
mented upon by even one quack and in
proportion as the number of quacks is in
creased his repugnance would increase and
there is nothing in the law which will au-
thorize the board in diminishing the mum
Der of policemen in order to increase the
number of surgeons or quacks.
The law likewise says distinctly that the
surgeons shall be appointed and serve
during good behavior, and the removal
therefore of Doctors Cooper and Ames was
clearly an arbitrary exercise Of power
as the board will no doubt discover when
the judicial investigation in.o the subject is
over.
The point we wish specially to make is,
that the appointment by the Board Of Police
Commissioners of these two men, Schumack
er and Clark, OH purely partisan grounds, can
not be too severely condemned, because ii
places the lives of thousands of poor people
entirely at the mercy of men who are
Ignorant Of any knowledge of medicine, and
who could not stand the simplest examina-
ton before board of medical examiners.
This is very serious matter, and we suggts
that some steps be taken by the city author
tiles to see that the poor and prisoners under
their care be not left entirely to the mercy
of these incompetent men who have been
reprehensibly placed in offices where they
may do incalculable harm.