The daily gazette., 1881-08-08

nA8na6 Ghnchh Dy u
Committee OF Competent Physi-
clans.
In view OF the foolish charges pre-
fer-td against the county sma -pox hos
pital By the Morning Ne,es. which we're
eDliIeiy unfound ana only had the effect
Of inju'ing the business interests OF tile
city, q humber of physicians hell a
meeting, Friday light last-Dr. l.. P.
Bush chairman and DR.. E. &. Shortlidge
Seeretary-and appointed comuiittee
to make careful and personal examin-
alton. This the committee did on Sat.
turday, and TIE following is their report:
WILL, DEL Aug. 8, 1881.
To Milton Lack.y, Esq, Chairman
Hospital Committee, New Castle
County Almshous,
SIR:-Havug heard through he pub
lie prt IS that cha rges had been made OF
misnianaeement and gross catelessness
in the Conduct of tie hospital for conta-
gious diseases in tins city, which were
likely to be injurious to the welfare OF
this community, DIS. Bush, Bullock,
Grimshaw, Johnson, Wales, Kane, Dra-
per, Shortlidge, Ogle, and Springer mel,
last evening, for the purpose of a pro-
per investlga ion of the matter. The fol-
lowing gentlemen were appointed TO vis-
1t the hospital, and examine thoroughly
the condition and management # the
institution, provided there we're no OBJ
jrctlons from the Board of Il us.ees OF
the Poor, to wit, Dfs. Wales, Bullock,
GrimsLow, Johuson, Kane and Short
lidge. An invitation was Immediately
extended by yourself, and this morning
the committee met at the institution and
made n careful examination, and this
evening make the GllowiDg report:
The committee appointed 10 Invesii-
gate the condition OF the Couu.y small
pox hospital visited that Institution to-
day. IL found all the rooms, including
the clothing, drug, provision and dining
rooms, cleau aud In good oideI; In the
sick wards the beds, walls and floors
were in excellent condition, and no bad
odors were detected iu any part vf the
building; the provisions We. examined
and found sufficient in quantity aud OF
good quality. The inmates, both sick
and eonValescents, were interrogated in
the absence of tue attending physicians
and nurses, as 10 the IRE III, ut received,
and one and all declared that they had
no complaints to make and that In food,
medicine, baths and nursing there was
nothing lacking, and they Indignantly
denied that the whites aud blacks took
their meals together.
The tents were visited and found
well kept and clean. The inmates, all
black, expressed themselves well cared
for in all respects, and no one had suf-
fered from, or complained Of, too much
exposure or dampness. The ouly
recommendation the committee could
make in regard to the tents, is that a
canvas fly be extended over each,
which would make them cooler.
While il undoubtedly is the duty of
the press to ferret out and expose that
which is amiss in our public institu-
tions, yet it is equally its duty to be
sure of the accuracy OF its information
and not to rely upon the reports OF irre-
sponsible and unworthy parties; es-
pecially when they tend to neutraiize
the usefulness of good hospital, and
bring our community into disrepute.
While by no means satisfied that a
| community 50 large as ours should not
be provided with larger and NOR Q
commodIous hospital, the committee
have no hesitation in saying that they
think the present arrangements are
well calculated to promote the recovery
of the patients, and do recommend the
institution to any of our citizens who
may be SO unfortunate as to be attack.
ed by smallpox.
In regard 70 the mortality in the
hospital, the committee states that il
does not consider the death rate greater
than Is usual from that disease.
JOHN p. WALES.
VIM. Il. BULLOCK,
A. II. GRIMsHAw,
r. P. JOHNSON,
JOHN X. KANE,
| q. q. SHoRTLIDaE,
Committee.
Il