Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-30
Providence Hospital Management.


The appeal presented TO the President by Cit
liens, as mentioned ia yesterdays STAR. asking
him to cancel contract by which the Proyi-
dence Hospital is paid st the rate OF 81 $50 per
month for patients on government account.
was referred by the President TO the Surgeon
General for an investigation and report. Yes
ttr0ay afternoon Surgeon General Barnes re.
plled as follows: a record OF all orders for adj.
mission is Kept In the Surgeon Generals Office
py fully competent clerk, In addition to his
other duties. No orders are ever issued In blank
Applications for orders OF admission in person
or by friends are generally reported sick By the
physician In charge OF their cases. either bT
note or sometimes by the physician calling Ia
perior is herself allowed to admit patients
upon an emergency requiring immediate
treatment, and reports all sucn admissions
monthly. A medical certificate 10 eacn case
has lot been required, as it would cause
delay, expense and insIperabIe Obstacles, and
defeat the Charitable end in view. An In
proper admission would De detected upon the
INST examination by one OF the medical staff,
VINO diagnose the disease Or injury, directs
treatment and rectitle5 any erroneous adull5-
slon. The medical staff CT the hospital is mast
excellent including some OF the leading mem
blrs OF the PROGRESSION, ard is decidedly non-scc-
tartan. Patients are not retained any longer
than IS absolutely necessary 1or cure. lncur-
able ard cases or contagious diseases are not
admitted. Beyond the satisfactory futilment
o; the contract. ii was never contempt ated in &c
the surgeon general was empowered to take
NoAtiVL W bJStibdi VI us management ultli
EoT. Fer period extending over many years
THIS contract with the government has worked
oentncia!!y, ana or the thousands admitted
not one has made p complaint 10 m3 or IL
treatment. cruelty, neglect or Interference
with their religious beliefs The Institution wa3
created by the religious order having cnarga
OF II, and Will compare fayoTaDly with Sim-
lar sectarian hospitals. It's rules are no more
stringent, It's medical attendance and nursing
no less excellent and its results as great. FIRE.
quently the number Of free patients borne on
the government roll and under treatmen Is In
excess OF the number appropriated for. and it
IS but justice 10 the management OF this in
stituti0n TO say that under all circumstances
they have cheerfully ezerted themselves to
meet the necessities OF the poor and suffering
There is 10 other hospital In this city for
transient pauper patients; no other proposition
TO contract for their medical treatment has, to
my knowledge, been made TO Congress or TO
myself, so that no option was left in this sc.
lection, and although IL does not SO appear In
the appeal, y Il is well known that this annual
appropriation is requested ana urged by the
representatives, OF this institution. To annnl
tno oAiot.ng Contract az any tiin6 withonL
other provision for transient pauper sick would
be to infiict much suffering, but TO do it at the
most flcle1nent season or the year would be far
worse, While TO make no future contract with
any sectarian institution would deprive this
unfortunately large class OF the pauper popu.
iation OF any means OF relief In Sickness"