Omaha daily bee., 1885-01-01
DEFENSE OF THE DOClO
Bis Proof That HG Does Not Merit The
CGEUre Of The Beard Of HGallb,
Let The Rest BE shown Up,

" BAOBNaS
luton Of the board of health c%ensurlng
him, and produces a statement and certi'
fcates showing that he has attended to
his duties. The facts concerning the
girls sudden death seem now to point to
some neglect on the part Of the nurses.
It would be a relief to the public II they
could be assured otherwise, and also that
the Flaharty family, while Guaranteed,
were supplied with necessary food and
fuel at all times. It would also be salts
factory to know whether the four women
quarantined at the Coy house were neg.
lected as to provisions and fuel.
None Of these were sick, nor we're they
a county charge, but they were quaran-
tined by the city board Of health, kept
from going out or coming in, and 1t
their comfort. Now that the small pox
an epidemic passed, 1t will be we'll to
have the facts all brought out, SO that if
there has been any neglect or careless
ness, it may not occur again, should &C.
casion arise to use quarantine measures.
The following Is the doctors showing:
A TO THE PUBLIC.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, December 30.-No-
ticing In The BEE of the 30th that the
board of health had censured me for
some difficulty experienced In the gen.
ersf care of the late ''smallpox" patients,
4 would like to state the duties of county
physian in full. First, the county phys
iclan is engaged by the county supervisors
to attend to all paupors or people unable
to help themselves, requiring medical aid
or medicine, when ordered by the over
seer of poor or any member of said coun-
ty board. The duty of the county phys.
ician is to see to medical supplies and In
cases of infective or contagious diseases
to see..that all observation-disclosures are car
ried out, Lsuch as disinfecting and de-
stroying all contagious germs, the board
holding the physician responsible for all
injury (medicaD when due to his negli-
gence. This comprises all of the duties
of the county physician. He is not
obliged to furnish fuel, food or shelter,
has no right to distribute orders
except for medicine, and when giving
his services and medicine he fullflls
his contract to the letter. Now we will
sum up the charges made by the board of
health, and see how far 1 was implicated.
First, 1 did not visit patients regularly;
second, l did not enter the room but
handed the medicine in from the outside;
third, not furnishing food. This l disre.
gard entirely as being out of my jurisdic-
tion, and something l had nothing to do
with. The following certificates l think
will disprove all charges and convince
the board of health that they acted
rather hastily in the matter. In con-
clusion 1 would like to state that so far
as the "Coy houae" Is concerned, 1 had
nothing to do with 1t whatever. The
proprietor engaged me to attend him
while / was attending Mr.. Crumb. He
is not a county charge, and the county
has nothing to do with him whatever. I
attended him regularly as / would any of
my cases, and charged him for each visit.
The board of health ~quarantined the Coy
house, and when under quarantine should
provide a way by which food and fuel
could be obtained by the inmates.
Mr.. d. Crumb was the only patient at
the Coy house that | was ordered to at
tend and that came under the county
charge. FRED P. BELLINGER, M. d.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Dscember30, 1884 -
/ hereby certify that I have been acting
as special policeman to Coy house while
~quarantined, and have sent for DR.. Bel.
linger several times to come to Coy
house, and l have seen him enter Coy
house from onre to twice daily to attend
patients, and | have taken medicine from
drug store to Coy house for patients fol
DR.. Bellinger. E. w. GRAY.
Council BLUFFS, December 80, 1854
/ hereby certify that DIR. Bellipger has
attended me from December 18th to date
for small pox, and that he made from
one to two visits a day while | was con.
fined to bed. He always entered the
room, and examined me, remaining ir
the room fully five minutes, leaving med
icine and full directions, and oh Christ
mas brought me for breakfast meat
bread and pie, and that the statement
made that DR.. Bellinger brought moth,
ing bat two sand witches, and handed il
the medicine and did not enter tn,
rooms is false, and also state that / an
perfectly satisfied In every respect to
the name DIR. Bellinger has treate,
me DAN CRUMB.
Council BLUFFS, December 3d.,
hereby certify that on December 10 DR.
Bellinger ordered me to take one mattres
and five comforters to Mrs. Flaherty, an,
leave them, and these mattresses an
comforters we're taken to the house an,
left. WILLIAM KIRKENDALL.
PEST House, December 30 hereb
certify that l was acting as nurse at tn
pest house during the sickness of Ellie
Kelly, and that DR.. Bellinger made on
visit q day from the time she was brongt
to the pest house till her death, and al
ways entered the room and examined tn
patient, and left directions till next visi
WILLIAM KIRKENDALL,
EMMA KIRKENDALL,
Nurses.
Council BLUFFS, December 80.
L hereby certify that l was acting
nurse at the County house from d
cember 18th to December Goth, while Il
patients were suffering from smailpo,
and under DR., Bellinger's care, and TIL
DIR. Bellinqer made one to two visits
day, from December 18th to Decemb
25th, and always came In the room al
examined the patients, and left medicll
when needed, with full instructions (
patient. He always remained In Il
room at least five minutes, and ON Chril
mas brou yht us for breakfast bread, me
and Pile instead of sand wiches,"
stated by the board of health.
ID. G. CoLLAMER.