New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-20
lLL-FED SURGEONS AT BELLEVUE.
COMPLAINTS OF THE FOOD, COOKING AND SERVICE


COMPLAINTS OF THE FOOD COOKING AND shh'lCh
THE DOCTORS INDIGNANT.
The surgeons at Bellevue Hospital held private
indignation meeting yesterday, at wnich klbCN b
reporter present. The causes OF p
are of long standing, and arise from the FOOD, the
cooking and the service Many OF the doc.
to,s on account of the poor quality OF the f0od
and the wretched manner IN which IL is served. are
obliged TO go Tor most OF ther Heais u soe heien
II were to write you.Out hill of fare of our
table said one of the physicians to the reporter
" ii would read quite smoothly hut an accompany
ing explanation would decidedly alter your opinion
of II, For breakfast on sunday we have mu so,
dinner, roast beef and mutton. potatoes, macca-
roni corn, some other vegetable. and for dessert
perhaps ice cream; for supper, cold meat. cake and
our breakfast is the same as that of Sunday. and in
fact our breakfasts on all DAYS are substantially
alike except Fridays, when we have no meat, out
eggs instead At lunch we are RECALLED with stew
aud bread and butter at dinner roast beef, corhed
beef, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes. and corn starch
by way of n con1t. On Tuesday we awake to the
same breakfast for lunch we partake OF the cold
corned beef remaining from the PREVIOUS DAY, rice
bread and bntter for dinner the usual bill, with
perhaps a dessert in the shape of u cup custard.
And so might continue with regard to the remain,
ing DAYS of the week. But now for few words OF
explanation he so-caled coffee consists largely
of chicory. / never have attempted to drink bnt
one cup of it during nv term here. The
butter IS always a little of, ju't enough so 10
prevent its being eatable The sugar as rule Is IN
tested Nth ants other diminntive creatures.
which do not tend to impart any
resh Our milk is condensed milk, diluted, why.
cannot understand, for | supposed that condensed
milk was expensive than the genuine juice OF
the COW. The beeistcak aud mutton chops are
Invariably burned aud very tough. The
vegetables furnished. with the exception
of the potatoes are as rule taken from cans even
IN the season OF their abundance. One OF us dlscov-
cred several cockroaches in bis saucer of canned
preserves the other day. which led the rest to make
examinations OF their respective saucers, an" re-
pret 10 state with like results This is not pleasant
matter to talk about, but feel in duty bound to
disclose the lamentable condition of our cuisine"
Have you made no complaint to the Co1nmis-
sionerS of Charities and Correction Z" was asked.
Indeed we have not" the prompt reply
THAT thing tried few years ago by one OF the
surgeons here i'll regard to this very subject of food
and the result that although he WIS one OF the
most brilliant young men who ever presided
over a Bellevue ward he came within ~, a
close shave of losing his position. We
know that it would accomplish nothing favorable
were we TO make formal complaint, and we nave
not attempted to investigate how our Gull
ary department is managed. We do not know
low much Of an appropriation is in the hands of
the commissioners with which to supply 1000 TO me
quantity but only with the inferior quality OF
the food furnished. And not only Is our taDle SO
disgusting but the food for the patients is by no
means what 1t should be- .,
Have Won heard any fault found OF like charac-
er AT the hospitals on the Island 7?
NO, none whatever; on the contrary some OF the
physicians there have stated that The food is as
good as could be expected. Therefore we fellows at
Bellevue seem to be the only ones that are Ill
treated I'm his respect"
Another doctor said "Let me add a word TO what
my friend has said about the poor quality of the
food. The stews. which form the principal dish on
the lunch table daily. are of course com
posed of the remnants of meat and vege-
tables left over from several previous meals.
They arc simply abomnable. and are partaken OF III
the smallest quantities Dy all of u.s. The trouble is
not only in original infcriorIty OF the food but
equally IN the cooking Of it and the manner in
winch II Is served"