National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-05
we pIsTRIOr eoKhRNMENT
OPENING OF BIDS - MEDICINES FOL
THE pnOP

OPENING OF BIDS -MEDIClNES FOR
THE POOR.
Yesterday afternoon the rooms Of the Commits
slOners presented Q most animated appearance,
the occasion being the opening Of bids for con-
structing all the lateral sewers, whSther Of pipe
or brick, and the house connections for the same,
which may be needed for the ensuing twelve
months. As the work will be one Of considerable
magnitude the contractors who had bias felt
anxious 10 know the result.
The bids were opened in the private roomof
the Commission by Lieut.. Hoxie, in the presence
General Ketchum and Messrs. +. II. Finley, o.
O'Hare and s. Gleason Of the contractors. While
this was being done the balance OF the contrac-
tors sat on the anxious bench IN the main room.
The bids were fourteen in number, but as there
were many different items they will have to be
carefully scheduled before the lucky ones can be
ascertaIned. The following were the bidders:
Frank McGhAn, James Kennedy, Brennan &
Hutton, Henderson & Co., T. H. Finley, Joseph
Williams, J. V. W. VAndenburg, Thomas Lucas
4 Co., Patrick Coreoran, Fletcher, HImber, Muir
ray Co., o. o'Hare, P. Brennan, John Barry
and Albert and Sylvester Gleason.
The payment of lsborers still continues, and, Il
Is thought, will be completed early next week.
The clerks in the engineers office are working
hard on the contracts preparatory TO their contln-
uance.
As was stated . few days ago, the Board Of
Health submitted to the Commissioners propo-
stion TO attend the sick poor Of the District. The
statement shows the amount required for medical
aid and purchase Of medicines for the sick poor
the District to be ss,Ooo and which they pledge
themselves not to exceed. This sum Is predicated
upon facts and figures furnished by the late physi
clans to the poor. The board says the average
number Of prescriptions given by these physi-
clans was ten daily. BY reducing the number OF
physicians to one half, the number Of prescrip-
lions would be at the rate Of about twenty daily.
1t is believed that the board can devise and adopt
q system Of rigid supervision which, while It pre-
vents misapplication Of this charity, will largely
reduce the amount formerly expended. After
fully considering this and other plans proposed,
the Commissioners have issued an order charging
the Board OF Health with the performance Of this
service from month TO month, until otherwise
ordered, the expense Of the same not to exceed
$500 per month.
Another plan was submitted by the medical
board Of the Children's hospital and Endorsed by
the boards Of other institutions.
1t suggests the establishment Of diEpensaries
for tho relief Of the poor Of the District at the
Georgetown general hospital, Columbia hospital,
National Medical College, Central dispensary,
Children's hospital, Freedmen's hospital, and
Providence hospital. All Of these institutions
being already furnished with necessary accommo-
cations tOr the inspection Oh the SICK anu us
pensing Of medicine, the system can go into i'm
mediate operation as soon as adopted. The
District government will incur no expense for
rent, for the payment of the attending physicians
or apothecaries. Outdoor or visiting physicians
to be attached to each dispensary, with annual
salaries Of also to ESQ., whose duty shall be to visit
at their homes such INDECENT sick persons as may
apply for medical relief the prescriptions ordered
by such physicians to be dispensed at the dispen-
sarieI to which they may be attached. Books to
be furnished by the District government to each
dIspensary, in which shall be recorded the name,
age, sex, color nature Of disease, history OF case
Of each patient who may apply for relief. The
medicines to be purchased by the District govern
ment in bulk, and furnished on requisiticn at
stated times Of the year to each dIspensary.
Prof ]. W. Chickering, jr., having declined
the appointment OF trustee Of schools for the
county, as his absence prevented him from max
ing the necessary preparations for the opening Of
the schools on the It'll instant, the Commissioner
yesterday appointed ]. Sullivan Brown, a men,
Der OF the old school board Of the county, to the
vacancy thus made.