The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-16
The Cn.e Of Thema. IIope.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: In The
SUN OF yesterday. on the first page. noticed a
paragraph headed Dying in an Ambulance"
Tho victims name was Thomas Hope. of So
Narick street. and it was stated that he had
been under treatment for pneum onia in the
Chambers Street Hospital. and in that condition
had been removed to Bellevue Hospital In
our ambulance: that he was received by DR..
Hemingway Of Bellevue, at the gate Of the hos
pital. and pronounced to be in dying condi-
ton that Bellevue doctors expressed indigna-
ton ut our practice OF removing dying patients to
their hospital in order to keep down orr death
rate: that oftcntimes the patients do not live TO
be- removed from the ambulance.
The facts in the case are ~ follows. and /
wish YOU would give them as conspicuous "A
place in your paper a. the above statements
were allowed. facts which should have been
published side 10y side with the accusation. and
which might have bren had your reporter got
Thomas Hope did not have pneumonia.
Thomas Hope has never been II patient in this
hospital. and hence could not have been re-
moved while dying Of pneumonia to bellevue To
decrease our death rate. Thomas Hope had
nroh'. brisho y .n, hiuheHS' 1nu LIZ
lengthening. He was ordered to be conveyed
10 Bellevue or some other hospital by the
house surgeon before knowing the exact ma
turc OF the case and Of necessity. He was taken
directly from ~ Leonard street. where he was
taken sick. To bellevue, Just at TINS season we
are very busy. having treated Yesterday. about
eighty patients. most of them dlspensary ca- -
many Of whom require beds for IA few hours
until they recover from the immediate I'll ,'is
of their incidents. at the same time all avail
able beds being occupied bv permanent
patients not admitting Of transportation
Two or three beds must always To-
reserved for fire. explosions. a.. the victims o
Will in are at any moment likely 20 knock at nul
doors. and have hitherto been cared Tor. I'll,
ambulance call for Mr. Hope came about 10 4
NJ. and before the rrturn from Bellevue thrr'
wcr- three more calls To- different parts OF Tia,
city 10 be attended TO. Now. under These urgent
circumstances. | submit i to any candid mln'
| II We can los Justly charged with inhumaniiy fol
the sake ~ lowering our death rate. Mr.. liop'
did not die in tho Ambulance. No man "Nrl
died ia our ambulance while being transi"rrc,
t. Bellevue.
Bellevue doctors don't meet cases al the cat
Of the hospital. In fact. such is their pr0cru~ti
/ nation that our ambulance surgeon oit'l
/ waits quarter Of an hour after dcuosltin.
/ the poor patient in the reception room l.;
| Ououc in cN istoucrl. and then has to leave with
ca-mau: Our aulhulun'" surgeon, DR.. Davis
/ ia this cusc waited % minutes. und had 90 l"aV
4 t. aiteAd tlusc three other calls before seeing
/ doctor aud stating th" rNt"nuatlnE features a.
/ the affair. Trying 90 Willy the aims and Office
ol su'h a useful institution o. the Chamber
Street Hospital. Is silly business, for which tn
| public has no relish. and appears all the NOR
rgregipus when cmanHtiug from sister ass
/ lum. between whom should exist the most cor
| dial relai ions lips.
GEo. II. Cliff W. D.. House surgeon
! CHAMBEEs STREET HOSPITAL, April II.