New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
TILE WARDS OF THE CITY.
REPORTS ON THE PUBLIC CHARITIES

REPORTS ON THE PUBLIC CHARITIES
WHAT VISITORS AT BELLEVUE HOSPITAL AND OTHER
INSTITUTIONS HAVE FOUND.
| Among the several committees that report
| regularly to the Sta'e Charities AID Association
is the New. York County Visiting Committee for Belle
yne Hospital and other public Institutions OF whcn MIS-
Joseph Hobson president and Miss Eleanor Blodgett
aecretary The objects Of the committee are to Visit
regularly and systematically all the wards OF the New
York City institutions under the control OF the Comms'
sioners OF Charities and Correction with view 10 Tue
mental moral and physical improvement OF the patients
and TO bring about such reforms In these III
stItutions as may be practicable. It's eleventh
| annual report has just been published Inc
committee states that II has found much to encourage
ts endeavor at reform Improvement IN the conoition
Of the hospitals and that OF their inmates Is apparent
I'm, ~ I'm msny cases this condition be ameiorated
nv constant care and oversight, no Improvement can
be radical or permanent until change Is made IN tno
encrol systen Of management" The present system OF
supplies Is called faulty the statement being maze tna1
IA customary during tie last three monhs OF the year
10 cut down the supplies IN order TO ieauce tne annual
expenditure, leaving every institution III Junu' oo
| OF the simplest necessaries
Many Of the defects Of Bellevue Hospital are attributed
70 the age OF the building and faulty construction
| There Ia said TO be an improvements III
| the food. although the fish dinners on sun
] days and Fridays have been complained OIL Ater
| commencing the general condition OF the hospital
1
however TO the upper portion OF the hospital are the
| lower offices and rooms OF the institution.
''The sleeping apartment OF the helpers on the grounu
floor IA very crowded aud the only possible means oil
ventilation at night IL in opening the four winao"s Oh
| the room causing immediate risk OF cold The wash
| room of this apartment, accommodating seVehty-sA
bepers Is very small. and inadequate provlsionis
| made for 80 many One visitor reports OFTEN seeing
| only one ragged towel and no soap. The culml'
mating point of misery and discomfort however Is
found IN the lower rooms, devoted to men aud women
patents arriving late to take the boat for ns
uuons The wooden floors arc soiden. full OF ratholes
and the p,pes Of the boiler leaking filled with dis
gushing rags. The atmosphere, which was close "Deh
tue rooms empty by day must at nlght De aoso-
utely nsupportabe Add to tnis the roaches ana rats
| Cof which we saw constant traces), and we cauuot
pcturc a nightof greater horror than tue Institution now
offer, it, overnight lodgers All that constant are,
oversight and cleanliness do has been expended III
the upper part Of this hospital but. when one Kho "S
Tint the foundation Is rotten aud bad to the CORE one
cannot feel dsheartened, Notwithstanding tue hooe
and pateut work which contendcd with aud accom-
| pl.hed so much IN the face OF all these obstacles
The irdinin gschOo for nurses attonei 70 oee Nc ho
Hospital il mighty commended by tne eonr'3t t mn
school u Jaid 20 nave Dcen ste icly eA ~ ~
enc5 usefulness Money, however, Is heeued 10 gu
The Fnergency Hospital building is declared TO be In
need OF repair, The cellar Is DAMP az limos
| muddy, and should be cemented Inc paYlhOn Vi tue
ward needs painting and the roof requires attention
| me supplies the Ninety ninth street HOS
illustrate condition OF affairs tue folio wing instances
given; On January 81 lssS iae V1ei'1e Ispor1
on March not surgeons needle VAS TO ba found Scs
sors ana bandagcs alike wanting ana on fruhy,
Match ., u gri who came with n wodnd over her eye
turned away from tne hospital Simply oeeause the
was not "A needle with which 10 sew H. CMeessuesr IN
regard to immediate necessares mas more thah once
nearly proved fatal -....,... .o.o.,s
from Charity Hospital. on Blackwcl!s lsland ana
Of the arAed Improvement tnfos"g.' oiS e to ne
tuition. This satisfactory cohullloH Is r,u " ~
I'm great measure due TO the untirlhs ygiahc. auu
oversight OF the chief OF stan who Is also most aDAou
t elevate the moral tone OF THIS institution And in
tns nc could more able and positive assist
te trained nurses The eslab lisnmcnt or the lrdhg
school for Nurses at Charity Hospital In 1872 marked
Iuost important era tho history OF tue lustltuton
n1 Nj o,i rate OF che TO ieadiy
dminshcd Ia shown by tue statistics o. the past ten
YEAR being per less than before the "StaO
iIsslnen OF tue school nave improved IN
cleanliness; Orler aud system prevail In the manage
ment and keeping Of supphes general sense OF com.
fort IL apparent The care and sympathy receNeu py
the patients promote their recovery, ana tue presence
among them Of the pupils Of the sonool has greatly I'M
| uroyed the standard tn institution"
Tue maternity service IN THIS hospital "a sau 10 Do III
less favorable condition than II was as, y9 T. %
10 the recent radical change IN te administrator OF IN
department Prom April l. 1881. unu April l, leS2,
the chief OF staff hed directly Responsible lor the
only calling occasionally when notified that their seryl
births and only two deaths OF moaers less thaa one
ha OF per Srn assumed direct control Of the
aud the death rate for the year was oSO per
lac oyercrowdug OF the City Almshouse on Black.
wells Island IA explained as largely duo TO tue
ptfc,icc Of mixing criminals with paupers NO one Oh
the buildings mas water service above tue nrsL noor
courtyard aud sidewalk paYenent are paved Win
| brick, ana uneven IN places In tneso courGG,
. | wards open drains which were found haf Iull
OF uthy There Is also wtetcned cellar ngul9l
only with small ga.burmer, under the dihng-rO0m IN
building Tor women. where IN cold ana darkness
| these wOrknOuse women wpsh the Dishes Ihe nc.en
ami scanIy and Imperfect che extra Diet
poor ana the service inefficient Tie Amshousr HOS
| pital Tor Women needs thorough repnmoihg anu "a
! some OF wards the stoves are Old anu
poor The general management OF the worRhoIse
ON Backwels Island favJuDy regarded by the com
mittee, whie It Is stated IN reference to tue fenhe
| Luuao Asylum " fnc great hudrAnoe 10 cures III the
institution lies the poor quahy oil the ioOu Inc vi.
owauce "a per capita, Ii quite nsuncielt 10 We
| what il necessary" The report adds "Ltc can De
the lodge II Is quite mint Tor the purpose 1or
| winch II intended, ana uness the pan oi
| the interior be rcmodellcd no improvement
| can he hoved for rne wretcnod, nery-
ana women patients have only hard, narrow
only TWO chairs In each ward, ana these are
too low back rhe mater OF employment 81,
ID most important To consider ana III tnis
| we hnd great reason for encouragement 49,
/ The hospital wards OF tho New-York City
| Asylum for the insane, on WARDS lsland' are
situated the top noor anu are seiu
complaint is made against the condition or nahasehcht
of e Home paic Hospital also on Wards Island, nor
wItn tue exception OF the idiot school, where tho
| making OF mats ny the boys has Deon gwen up
because 10 said there Isn't any more old ropes
The incur.blo idiots are In very much tue same con-
ditiOp as mas reported from to ycnr some
ing ought be done to better the condition OF these
poor creatures-not wth the hope or curng tnemLl
siinpossDie-Dut OF making ner Ves NJ least
az easy as those animals" Inquiry shows that tue
distribution OF newspapers On iar'o Island among the
DC romeded, committee says as most OF the interest
and Ia the dreary hVes OF LnoSe people must
I be gOt out OF the daily papers
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