The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-24
"DISORGANIZED" CHARITY.

DlSURGANlIED' CHARITY.
A woman of the town, in the last stages of
consumption, and an opium-eater, like many
of her kind, was turned out of the Louisville
Hospital on Sunday morning, and for two
hours stood in a drenching rain when she was
taken in for few hours by kind-hearted
lady, only to be turned adrift again. She
finally found refuge in the police-station On
its face this seems case of cruelty, but the
good people of Louisville, doubtless, beg to be
heard in defense of the fair fame of their city.
This woman was an opium-e eater, and de-
prived of the drug while in the hospital, she
became troublesome and was very nervous and
intractable. Those in charge attempted to
reason with her, bat she would not throw off
her "spell, so they at last turned her out.
Her pleading on Saturday secured her one
more nights lodging, but early on the Chris
their messages of peace, and good will and
charity to all men, the superintendent sent
for her. She was brought in by the attend
ants, who supported her on either side,
she being unable to walk. Raising
his voice above the pelting of the
November rain, he told her she had
to 60, and she was accordingly hustled
out to the street, with the experience above
related. Had the hospital authorities been
disposed to be cruel, how easy it would have
been to be so. But they simply led the con-
sumptive to the door, and babe her go, only re-
warmer clothes to shield her from the rain
How easy it would have been to have dubbed
her. or given her few whacks with bed
slat. But no; not man lifted hand against
her. With the refinement of gentility they
led her to the door and pushed her out-she
into the rain, and they back to their cozy
CRATES and Offices. 1t was an unpleasant duty
in some respects, but it had to be done. They
couldn't be held responsible for the rain, nor
blamed because she had the consumption.
Hospitals are for people who behave them
selves, and who don't have fits and Eighty
spells. If dying consumptives who have
wormed their way into hospitals should so far
forget themselves as to become delirious,
there is nothing left but to turn them out.
1t is unfortunate that November rain was
falling upon the occasion of this expulsion
But the patient will have learned lesson
Hereafter she will have her spells only in
summer weather when she can sleep under a
bridge after leaving the hospital
There is another feature in this womans
case. How comes it that she was allowed to
wander the streets for hours, drenched with
rain, and then be picked up by patrol wagon
houseY What has become of the boosted char
ity of professional courtesansi And why
could not the madam in whose house this
dying girl had lived, have come to her tempo
rary aidg Better have kept her in her gilded
palace the few remaining days of her fast
ebbing life than to have so heartlessly neg
lected her. And the city, with ten thousand
comfortable homes, and a charity organized"
for just such cases of suffering and dying hu-
manity-it is lasting shame that this thing
was done. There is judgment that this out
cast Magdalen must 60 to soon. There is
judgment men believe, for all mankind. This
wicked girl and the men who coldly pushed
her out to die in the rain will meet together
then.