Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-07
SMUGGLING DANGERS.
Whisky SurreptitiOusly Taken in to
Hospital Patients.
ONE STARTLING CASE In POINT.
Superintendent COwsn, of the West Penn,
Tells About 1t.
GIN AND OTHER DELlCACIES DITTO

A reporter for this paper yesterday wit
ne ssed very serious and dangerous snug
Cling case which might have resulted In
death. While in conversation with Super
intendent Cowan, of the West Penn Hospi-
tai, woman approached that institution
carrying a bundle. The Superintendent
called the reporters attention to her. he
said:
"That woman has in her possession bot
tie of whisky which she will try and Snug
gle into the hospital to her brother"
When she reached the front steps of the
hospital the doorkeeper asked her whom she
wanted. She desired to see her brother, and
he babe her pass in. She Twas going up the
stairs to the ward when the Superintendent
called to her: asking what was in the bun
de She replied:
"Some clean underclothing.
Anything else?" queried the Superin-
tendent. She hesitated and then replied:
"Why. yes; bottle of wine;" which turned
out to be hard wine. The Superintendent
very quietly reproved her for her misplaced
sympathy, but assured her if she repeated
that action, the authorities would be obliged
to refuse her admittance.
The Superintendent afterward remarked
that the systematic smuggling OF delicacles
into the hospital was very serious evil,
and many deaths had resulted therefrom.
Friends often came to see patients suffering
from levers, and, if the patient craved for
any special article of food, the friends al
ways attempted to get it for them, though
they know
THE HOSPITAL MOTTO
is, ''Don't bring anything" Said the Su-
perintendent: "Whstever the doctor orders
for the patient, no matter what the cost may
be, 1t is always got" He gave an instance
of this craving by the fever patients: "a
negro was brought to the hospital with ty-
phoid fever several weeks ago. He had SIS
in the bank, which 1 got for him at his re-
quest. With this SIS he constantly begged
the officials to get him something that he
had special liking for. At last said he to
the nurse: Get me some picked pigs feet,
cabbage and potatoes The nurse replied:
why, man, that will kill your 'Well,'
said the negro, 1 know that, but want to
have good time ANYHOW, while live"
The Supintendent said also that in the
past it was a common practice to smuggle
drink to male patients; but few weeks
ago two men came up to the hospital after
visiting hours, and importuned him to be
allowed to 60 up to one of the wards
TO SEE A FRIEND.
Said they: 1--WE have come a considera-
Bile distance to see our friend, and we do not
want to go away without seeing him." The
Superintendent told them. it was the
policy to be as liberal as possible,
and conducted the men to the ward
and left them there. 'I had occa-
sion later on to repass through the
ward" said the Superintendent, "and saw
the men push something under the bed
spread, which turned out to have been bot
tie of the vilest of gin. We are, by careful
watching, eliminating the practice, but you
observe by this woman's action this after
noon how difficult it is to suppress it.
Women conceal it in their garments, and
men have special pockets made to carry
it in.
1--WE shall be forced to make an iron-clad
rule forbidding any person who is found in
fringiDg the hospital rule from admittance
TO the hospital"