Telegram-herald., 1890-04-14
A CITY HOSPITAL
City Physician Wright Expresses
His Views 70 q Reporter
II Cls BE MADE SELF-SUPPoRTIsc
Surgeons sad Physicians VIII CsDtrfeats
Their services orstis-fhs hene-
rss to be Attaiued--A kssi-
eest fEsaclAn.
A TFIEoRAx .HrKAID reporter yesteI.


asst fkssleiAa.
A fEIEGRAs.HEEAID reporter yesteI.
day. during = Hslk about town after
/ church,, ran across that hardest worked
Of hard worked men. City Physie "a
Wright. The talk naturally drifted
into tie region OF hospitals, sickness
and death, during which Tie reporter
asked the physician Why il MAS that
olty the size snd importance Of Grand
Rapids Mas not blessed with city hos
pital, ana whether be, the doctor, had
any views on the subject The gist OF
his reply is about AZ follows;
'Nes, ! have been interviewed Oh the
matter of city hospital, but not With
any intention that ny views upon the
subject should At present De made pub
lie. ! can say only what have thought
and said before. That the feasibility o
erecting = city hospital demands praI-
ucal consideration Understand me, !
am making no objections - the exist
my benevolent Institutions n tie city,
OF the object for which they are IN
tended. Our charges get good care,
and every attention Is gwen 10 them.
But they do not fully meet the de-
mands as would city hospital.
Yes sir, | think il a necessary public
Improvement. II only as matter OF
economy in the cure and treatment OF
our city charges. / am quite certain II
could be made solf-supporung insti-
tuition. II might, perhaps, take 1--WE or
! tstx 4 L, a. l,.s
creasing rapidly ia population, and
think IL caG DO done INSIDE Of that limit
Of time. A. any rate, think the pres
ent expense Tor the care and board OF
city charges, would fully pay the inter
est On the investment. and the running
expenses Of hospital OF sufficient ca
pacity TO accommodate more than twice
: the number OF patients at present un-
Ger the city charge, and II could be 50
built that additions could be made 10
meet future demands. We could Sc
cure ample hospital service, both do
mestic and nursing, simply for cost Of
board.
"How should il be con6uctedl Well,
think il should be under the direct
} control OF the Common Council. A
hospital board, composed Of members
OF the Poor Committee and Board Of
Health or perhaps, which would be
preferable. a board of hospital commits
4 sioners. There, however, should be
representatives from the Poor Com
. mittee and Board Of Health on the
hospital board. Then let the commits
sioners appoint staff of consulting
Q physicians and surgeons. OF course,
you know the management and medi-
, cal staff can be had grstuitously.
have consulted a number of physicians
of the city and, without exception, they
gave me the encouragement that they
would do all m their power 20 make
the project a success. In this manner.
: the best possible medical and surgical
skill will be rendered, free of charge,
: by the consulting staff. Then the Office
Of city physician should be rendered
: exclusive TO the services Of the city,
: with adequate compensation, and his
office and residence should be in the
. hospital, where he would be right al
home with his patients all the time and
. ready for every emergency. The city
ambulance should be kept at the hos
pital, where the city physician, or bis
assistant, could be on hand to attend
promptly TO all calls, and those able
should be required 10 pay reasonable
q rates for ambulance and hospital scr
i vice. In this manner, we would receiv,
! many such cases toward rendering i
self-supporting, and we would soon
4 realize the practical economy OF this
v important public improvement.
"Ies, j think about twelve years age
$4,000 was raised by direct taxation
. and set aside for hospital fund, and
!, believe that efforts were made TO utiliz
y il for that purpose. but nothing carnt
e of It. The last time the question wa
agltated was about SIX or seven year.
d ago. A committee was appointed, com
l. posed of some members Of the council
Y and citizens, and, as ! was informed
e composed of men directly or indirectly
r interested in the benevolent homes
already IN existence, and consequently
nothing was done and the matter drop
&c ped.
p What has become Of that hospital
v fund now?
81 can not give you any authentic IN
formations; but, ! was Informed lss
night that il had been divided Up anC
utilized for other purposes. am no
> certain about IT,, and you had bettel
V geta report from some one who knows
All ] have 10 say is that ] would like 4
q see steps taken IN this direction.
ilaA dDOul the lfyDA tti WV E~ssN.
aily2
you know it has been an un
usually hard wear for sickness, snc
the whole department has suifere,
from this iDcrgAsc. Chalrma'
O'Donnell Of The poor committee
n Director Of the Poor Wagemaker, m.
assistant and myself, have been untiI
ing IN our efforts % relieve al worth,
sublects brought 70 Our notice Ih
duties of director Of the poor arc 20
much for one man. He ought 10 hav
two assistants 70 utilize ss inspector.
that is. g. quietly visit the homes q az
pliCants for charity and see whcthe
their story is truthful or not, and m
lcea would to 80 have one gentems
and one adv. The director would fn
plenty Of work 20 do even a. that
a believe that there arc many worth
suffering subjects ne besr nothing oi
n who. from 81 sense If pride. prefer var
n asking ass stance. ard no doubt bu
there are others who are. partially q
( wholly. able g. care for Themselves
that seem to possess very small 20
gree 0f shame. ! think the plan w0ul
~ - q decided benefit % the service.
!. yes. ST. I arn csnd dat for resI
pointment. 7 have eudesvOre5 60 r
my duty always. snd ny friends O.
p tel you better than 7 car bow vel
have succeeded iu my endeavors.