Daily globe., 1883-07-21
THE SISTERS HOSP ITAL.


of that Institution Resume d Last Eren-
ing.
The committee appointed to investigate
the charges of DR.. Gates, the city physi-
clan, against the management of the Sis
ters' hospital, South Minneapolis. met
again last evening, Mayor A. A. Ames pre-
siding. The city attorney, at the
opening of the proceedings, an
nounced that at the request of the
city council and city physician he appeared
as attorney for DR.. Gates. The sisters were
represented by Attorney Davis, of the firm
| of Babcock and Davis.
Charles Robinson was the first witness
called, who, being duly sworn, testified as
follows: Was city patient this spring,
and was treated in the Sisters hospital
for typhoid fever for two months; was not
delirious at any time while there. DR.. Gates
stated at this point that he expected to
prove the charge of uncleanness and mat
tentlon to patients by this witness. At
torney Davis raised an objection to this
new witness not mentioned in his charges;
Burril and Morrison were the parties men
toned by the city physician in regard to
uncleanness, and they should first be ex-
amined.
Examined by DR.. Cates-I witnessed
two cases of uncleanliness while in the
hospital. The first case was of a SWede
who was there one week before he died: he
was not able to get out of bed to have
passage of the bowels; he died, and I OBJ
served when the corpse was being removed
he was covered with fsces and urine, which
appeared to have been on his flesh for
some days. Saw no more of that case
In the second case, which was that os an
Irishman, his clothes were covered With
lice, and he was placed in the upper ward.
About two Or three weeks he had not
been washed. heard several complaints
from others (objected toy. There was no
| convenience there by which a patient
could take bath, to my knowledge; if a
person wanted to take bath he had to 60
without it. Patients got washed with
sponge and alcohol; I know of a patient
who did not get his medicine according to
prescription don't know his name, but
he had lung trouble; he complained of not
getting the medicine until the day after it
was prescribed; heard him ask the mother
superior for his medicine, and heard her
reply that she could not make up the
prescription; she could not read the
writing.
Aid. Haugan-Could not tell the name
of the Swede or the Irishman.
Aid. Hashow-The mother superior could
not read the prescription, owing to its
being illegibly written; don't know whether
there was prescription or not, except
from the conversation between the mother
superior and patient; the prescription was
for German whose name I cannot give.
Aid. Haugan-The man that died was in
the same ward that was in; YVES then
convalescing and he died two weeks after
l entered the hospital.
Davis-Don't know whether ne was city
| patient or not; went to the hospital this
spring; stayed in the hospital two months;
| typhoid fever; was not attended
by DR.. Gates; the Swede's bed was
at one end of the room and mine at the
other; was pretty sick; never had bath
or was sponged while there; could not tell
| the name of the sister who nursed me;
never heard the doctor tell sisters to give
patients baths; don't know that the patti
ent who died died from not getting a
| bath; took out the body of the dead
| patient about o'clock in the morning;
this was in April; there were present two
of the sisters to take him out and Ger
| man who worked there; the other patient
had fecesSand urine. in his bed; was led by
curiosity to go to see the condition of the
bed; am not prepared to swear
that the sisters did not carry
out instructions; the Irishman was there
| three weeks or a month before me; it was
after l came that he did not receive a
| change of clothing for three weeks; during
the time was there did not see change but
once; could have changed unknown to me;
he told me himself; saw the lice; could not
count them; they were all over the room;
heard great number say they had lice,
but did not see them on any one but the
Irishman and myself; we all got kind of
washing with water in a hand basin and
towel, their face and hands washed; 1
don't want to swear that he was not
washed, but 1 did not see it; was told there
was no water apparatus to have
bath; don't know it of my own
knowledge; don't know whether the sister
| carried out the prescription or not but 1
was told.
To Aid. Hashow-It was light enough
to see at 3 o'clock on the morning of April
when the dead body of the Swede was
taken out. Could see by daylight.
Aid. Haugan-My bed was changed
regularly in every two weeks; sheets and
pillow cases on my bed were not changed
but about once in fortnight.
To Attorney Davis-They always made
my bed; was very sick; my bed was
changed about four times while in the hos
pital. Am not able to say positively
whether there were bathing facilities or not;
the beds might have been changed in night
time; cannot positively say whether or not
the other beds were changed oftener than
mine.
To City Attorney-Iw into the hospi-
tai after New Years. To Attorney Davis
1t was about two months before New
Years.
To Aid. Hashow-After New Years I
was in the hospital.
To Mayor was born in England; am
in this country about eleven years and am
a laborer.
Frederick Dreher being sworn testified
as follows:
Went to hospital as paid patient; went
into it on the 26th of May last; paid for
board and treatment; had dyspepsia.
was treated by Drs. Moore and Lutz; to
DR.. Observation-Disclosures beef tea for me;
was there five months and a half; got
IL - haa fao