The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-31
INVESTIGATING WISHARD.
The Special Aldermanic and Council
Committee Begins TO Hear
Evidence
IN Support Of the Charges Maze
Against Superintendent Wishard,
OF the City Hospital-Another
Meeting Tonight.


The charges of discrimination and partiality
preferred against Superintendent WIshard,
II the City Hospital. by DR.. Eastman and
The Central College Of Physicians and Sur
eeons. met last evening in a room
adjoining the office of the City Clerk
IN the basement of the Courtkouse. The
members Of this committee are Aldermen
Eorison, BernbanmeT and Pritchard and
ouncilmeD HsUgb. Eewc0mb AID Sni'har
hey proceeded TO OrFaaizs xt S o'clock by
flectIDg MT. Haugh President while The last
Hsusd menu Der OF the board wa made Sac
Tttsry. a large r nm Der OF the members Of
lie medical profession, anticipating heaps
ui fun, occupied seats near the
door. Mr.. Hsugh announced the object OF
msstiDg, after which the lengthy petitions
submitted 10 the Council some time ago by
Dr. Eastman. his friends and the friends OF
the Central College ana Physicians and Sur
Eeons were read Subsequent to the reading
OF the long-vinded documents, Mr.. Wishard
arose announcing that he protested against
the consideration OF two of them unless the
signature OF DR.. Eastman was attached. In
referring TO one OF he papers be said that
IN his opinion. the man who had the
aucacliy 10 write 1t should be compelled
TO sign II. One of the members OF
NJ committs then called upon Dr.
Eastman 10 sign the papers. which he did
With some reluctance. saying that some
changes might Rave been made "a them
since they were submitted. Dr. Eastman
n ads short speech to the committee, say
ing that in depcsing him the SuDerintend
ent had been guilty. of uni uss discrimina
non against = representative citizen aud
taxpayer. He had always labored in the
interest of the City Hospital ana mad Gu
deavo-ed rot TO incur the enmity of Mr.
Hishard. He had felt some time ago that
DIR. Wishard intended to depose him and
be went 10 Mr.. Newcomb, of the
Hospital Board, ard informed him
Of that fact. Superintendent Wishard
stthe conclusion Of DR.. Eastmans remarks
denied the charges OF discrimination, and
called upon DR.. Chambers, who was present
10 testify as to the circumstances under
which he (Wishard) became a member of
the clinical staff. The Doctor stated that il
was at his suggestion that Wishard was made
= member of the clinical staff
Assistant Superintendent Morrow was
then called upon to make statement as to
he number of lectures given at the hospital
each week. he said there were four each
week and that DR.. Stillson, of the Central Col
lsge OF Physicians and Surgeons, had lectured
there three times since the beginning of the
year. The Superintendent then asked his
assistant ii be had instructed him and all
others connected with the institution to
treat the staff with courtesy at ali times.
Yes sir" was the answer. The witness
was then asked what DR.. Eastman sail
operation on Cassie Beaver in April last
Tbs Doctor told his assistant TO throw the
spoDges in the nurses face if they were
either too wet or not warm enough" replied
the witness in a ierky style. The Su-
perintendent then asked the young man
il 1t wasn't true that all of the house physi-
clsDs were well pleased when Eastman's
term expired. He said they were, and in
TACT he dreaded the afternoon on which
Eastman visited the institution. as did 9TH
ers. Eastman had way about him that
was very unpleasant. When the Doctor
asked Morrow in what way he considered
him unpleasant the young man hesitated
and raid he hardly knew, but his ques-
tioner had always ignored the house
physicians. He remembered occasions
when Eastman had brought 10 outside
physicians 10 assist him instead OF calling
uron the house physicians Miss Carrie
Bell, Miss \. L Willis and Mss c. J Le-
NONE, nurses at the hospital, all testified
that Dr. Eastman was very unpleasant
man, and they were overioy ed when his
term expired. One of them had heard him
say TO his assistant that if the sponges were
not clean and warm enough be should
throw them in the nurses faces. They
said that he was not courteous to
them or anybody else about the
institution. One Of them testified that on
one OCCASION when the Doctor was perform
ing an operation on q woman he had, be
fore going home in the evening, instructed
her to telephone him, and no6 go to DR..
Wishard ii anything happened in the case
dnring the night Superintendent Wishard
then submitted to the committee piece OF
blue paper with writing on it. saying that
q perusal OF this scrap would show
that Eastman was attempting TO usurp the
functions of his Office. This SCRAP OF paper
he Superintendent said had oeea handed
10 one OF the nurses by DR.. Eastman. Ii
stated that ell nurses and attendants while
on duty in the City Hospital must wear
slippers with felt soles after April 10 1884
md the sentence three years nurse in a
hospital Of 1000 beds" appeared at the bot.
tOnl, inclOeed in brackets. Dr. Eastman
then asked Miss Lemoine, to whom the
Isper bad been handed, If she did not realize
81 the time he gave it TO her that il was in.
tended as a joke. The lady answered in the
negative.
Ex-Coroner Maxwell was present. aud
said that be bad never known DR.. Eastman
10 be guilty OF an act Of discourtesy. He
did not think that he said anything to in
suit the Superintendent while performing
the operation on Cassie Beaver. he had
heard what DR.. Eastman said about the
sponges, but did not believe that he meant
word he said. He had always
noticed that when Eastman was In
attendance upon an important case bis
whole nalnd was wrapped up in that case
and he had no thought for anything else.
Several other physicians testified to the
same TACT.
In answer to question Superintendent
Wishard said that pay patient had never
been refused admission 10 the City Hos
pital
Will you allow me to bring q patient 10
The hospital tomorrow" asked DR.. East
mai.
''Yes. IL / am relieved OF the necessity of
rendering you any professional assistance"
vas the reply.
The Superintendent then submitted a
communication from the old Board of Trus- |
tees OF the City Hospital, addressed 10 the |
Council and Board OF Aldermen, stating |
that the clinics are of secondary importance |
20 the regular consulting work OF the staff |
r. was their opinion that wbeu Superin- |
PENDENT is placed in charge of the hospital |