New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-17
COMPLAINTS or HoSPIEAL PATIEy1S.
TIE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NEW-YORK HOSPITAL
pErr-lrS IN ANSXrR THEM

(
REFUSES TO ANSWER THEM.
Martin McNahOn went before Justice BiXby
in the jefferson Market Police Court, recently and, made
a complaint OF assault and brutal treatment
against of the orierlies of the New
York Hospital, in Fifteenthst. A summons
was granted and Mcmahon bObhled back TO the
hospital where he hal been for nine weeks. To a
reporter he complained Of trestmont from ,he order
lies and lack OF attention to the poorer patients who
were unable TO give money 10 them-althOuSh rule OF
the hospital forbds the payment of money to the attend
ants. Besides this, personal insults which McMahOn
! said that he had received because he WIS
a charity patient" he told Of other instances where,
he said great severity had been used. A man who
thought that ne might home lie said started leave
his ward when he violently thrown down and then
dragged the by orderly. 1t WAS also al
cged the junior orderly thrOug the wards
the morning and woke charity patients" by pal
the clothes off the beds, while those who able to
pay for their treatment allowed 70 sleep until the
surgeon visited the rooms
reporter Of THE TRIBUNE called at the hospital
in the evening TO learn whether there any
truth the made by the patient The orderly
at the door, said he in charge Of the hospital
refused talk about the matter except to abuse Nc
MaEon When the reporter asked for superintendent
udam the orderly said that he could not be seen, but
later decided TO send card him. Mr. LudlGm refused
TO talk about the matter, as he said that he was of
DUTY" He would not discuss hospital affairs
IN
Well, Mcmahon was bounced this morning
and it was a good thing. We don't care what is pub
hshed about the institution; IL stand its
merits" william Page, the senior orderly, against
whom the summons had been issued, refused to make
any statement for publication, saying that the whole
matter was in the hands of the superintendent.
In order ascertain the views Of superintendent
Ludam tue reporter called at the hospital again yeser
day afternoon. aud asked the superintendent if the
charges OF McManOn were true.
do not wish to MAKE any statement for pubca
ton he said FOR II is not matter OF public interest
Does il not become 80 when man procures war
Any person do that and the tact that the presd-
ing Judge the warrant shows what he Thought Of
MAY ash, Mr.. Lndlam,why Mcmahon was discharged
from the hospital u
- refuse TO say anything about the matter this is
lie was discharged the morning after complain.
ing OF his treatment to Justice B1Dy Was II because
AGAIN saw that our business is purely private and
you have right to come here and ask about
whom we discharge than You would nave 10 20 into a
downtown store and ask a merchant why lie mad dis
charged clerk"
But, MIR Ludam if person purchasing at that
should 90 before Police Justice that clerk
EMPLOY ed there had knocked him down. and in the
ha6 abusing customers VINO were OF the class,
would il then become matter OF pubic interestp
''The cases parallel IL is for interest
you may rest assured tnat II Is done So"
Was It rlght TO dismiss McManon ii he was not fully
1--WE have right TO discharge every patient in the
hospital to-day and lock We dnSWeraDle
to no one except the directors There Is mistaken idea
that answerabe 20 the city au hOIies. but that
is not true The city did not give our charter and
do not receive any money from it. But refuse to talk
about the matter at ALL
"McMahOu's atement of ENTERTAINMENTS substanti9ted
by Mr. Lltteheld of No 81 HOratOst., VINO III the
hospital at the time He paid for ais treatment"
There IL another mistaken idea IN the minds OF many
persons. tell you we make no distinction between
patients who pay for treatment and those free"
g Is there no distinction made In the rules -
None at all"
The reporter while waiting for the superintendent had
observed and copied OF the rules which hang
Ing in the Office. IL read, Pay patients NAV visit the
not be permitted TO visit IL all except by special per-
mission from the superintendent hOuseaurgeOn."
The copy or the rues was signed by the
AS Mr.. Ludlam reiterated his statement Jnat he would
not say anything he adled: " do not care what an
IN PRINT so long as not represented ~ saving
what have not sad" Wishing TO avoid any euch mis-
the reporter sat IN the waitn and wrote ont
the conversation and asked the superintendent's per
mission 10 read il To him. IL obtained but after
listening attentively short time he SAID ION the
whole think had better not listen 20 it, III do II will
Io0S as IL sanctioned the statements"
At the house OF Mr.. Lttlened IL said that Mr.
Mcmahon had called there on Friday-sti suffering
verely from the injured knce-whch was fractured on
October then that he should prosecute
PENDANTS at the hospital who mad abused him. SIR. Lit
teed in the hospital for seven weeks and said that
he left because of the poor treatment which he
eelved there, although he paid 81 week On the day
that ne left ptal the physician had ordered his
wound TO be dressed at n. and az pm u had not
done This lack Of attention he SAID was due To the
fact that he had stopped giving fees to the attendants