Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-21
THE FREEDMAN's HOSPITAL
DIR. Purvis and His Assistants Com
mended by the Investigating Committee.

DIR. Purvis and His Assistants Com
mended by the Investigating Committee.
The report Of the committee charged by the
Secretary of the Interior with investigation
into the charges made against the admiuistra-
ton of the Freedman's Hospital under DR.. c.
b. Purvis has been submitted to the Secretary
The recommendasory portion of the report is
as follows:
SURPRISED AT so LITTLE COMPLAINT.
To sum up. considering the number and
varied character of the patients treated at the
hospital, very large proportion OF them being
from the dregs OF society, Us is evidenced by
the fact that the diagnoses OF so many cases
show that they originated in disslpatcd.
rowdyish or immoral habits and practices the
amount OF fault found with the management
Of the hospital seems remarkably small, and it
Is tho deliberate opinion of the board
that DR.. Purvls and his assistants are entitled
to high commentator for the condition of af-
fairs In tho institution generally. The Freed
mans Hospital Is great public benefaction;
we believe 1t should he supported and encour-
aged by the government even more literally
than has been done heretofore and that DIR. b.
Is. Purvis is the right man in the right place.
Nevertheless we believe there is much in the
system OF administration which should be
changed at an early day. II Is now emphat-
callv on a basis of q ''onc-man power" The
with over $4,000 public moneys annually at
his disposal without any adequate checks,
balances or accountability. That DIR.
Purvis has not abused the great and lrre-
sponslble responsibility which rests upon
him is greatly TO Ills credit. But there can
be no assurance that. with tho wido-opeu op-
portunities for pecuiation, somo successor OF
DR.. Purvls will not be tempted to take advan-
taGc OF them to the injury and disgrace of the
institution. The board would call attention 10
tlnr A.,
the ability Of the department to remedy until
congress may see proper to give it favorable
notice.
NEW WARD BUILDINGS NEEDED.
New and extended ward and other buildings
are urgently needed. Tho four ward buildings.
as well as the kitchen, dining rooms and in
fact all the buildings except the office building,
are old frame buildings. more or less dilapi-
dated, and will necessarily have to be rebuilt
within a short while. In the meantime they
are, and Will be as long as they stand,
populOus hives for the germs of disease,
and being mere shells and fire traps they are
liable 1T any time TO give Us a holocaust Of
helpless invalids that will arouse the public to
inquire how this great nation has so long toler-
ated under the shadow of tho Capitol dome
these wretched shantcs for the housing and
treatment Of the afflicted poor Of the city.
without doubt nil these wooden buildings
should be speedily removed and replaced by
freproof buildings Of tho best architectural
designs for the several uses to which they need
to be put.
But the premises now in use are rented from
tho Howard University and it is submitted that
1t should not be the policy of the government
to erect expensive buildings for permanent
uses on rented premises, Out of this grows the
suggestion that the government should pur-
chase grounds, @ i,her at the present very pleas
ant locality or elsewhere, on which to erect
improvements for this very important insttu-
ton, we will not say such as every citizen may
be proud OF, bat We will venture TO say such as
no citizen should have need to be ashamed of.
THE NAME SHOULD BE CHANGED.
There is another matter to which the board
thinks the attention Of Congress should be
called The name Of the institution was PEI
maps appropriate enough when first estab-
lished, but 1t Is no longer applicable to the
general, promscuous and, we may almost say,
cosmopolitan character of the patients who
now find admission, and we would sug gcst that
the name be changed to either Lincoln" or
Howard hospital.
The board would further recommend that
DIR. Purvis be allowed another dical assist
ant as we are clearly of the opinion that the
work now being done at the hospital is larger
than the present staff should be required to do
and 1t is constantly growing. 1t is therefore
recommended
/. That a property record book, suitably
and quantity OF all articles purchased and the
date and quantity OF articles consumed. used or
rendered unserviceable. Monthly abstracts
from this book to be filed with the Interior
Department. Misc. div.) Ex A.
2. That list of all employees, together
with their duties and the amounts to be
paid each for the month, giving the
annual salary when such is fixed,
and noting particularly any changes
from the previous monthly roll, be forwarded
before each monthly payment of salaries to the
Secretary of the Interior.
=. That the surgeon III charge be required to
give bond III n sum not less than so, 900 for the
faithful discharge of his official duties, the
proper accounting for all supplies, the safe
keeping Of all properties coming into his possess
SION and the exacting strict performance of all
contracts relating TO the hospital. And that
the steward, the clerk of the dIspensary the
custodian of the store room and others Of like
duties shall keep in an intelligent manner ac-
counts OF the receipts and distribution or use
and consumption or the perishing of such arti-
cles as they may be charged with the Gus
tody Of.
4. That quarterly inspection OF the hos
pital. its accounts, books, &C., be made by
committee Of three persons charged with that
duty by the Secretary of the Interior, and that
said committee include III its membership a
physician and an expert accountant
.. The surgeon-in-charge shall file in the de-
partment monthly statements of all purchases
made. giving qualities. prices, amounts paid,
from whom purchased and indicating whether
purchased OH contract or in open market The
necessity for all open-market purchases shall
be set forth i'll a column of remarks"
6. Before payment therefor all open-market
purchases shall be reported to the Secretary of
the Interior for his action.
Ii the above recommendations meet with
your approval it is further respectfully submit
ted that committee be appointed to devise
forms Hereunder.
TIE RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVED.
The recommendations have been approved
by Secretary Noble, who has directed that the
committee called for consist of a physician
from the pension bureau. a lawyer from the
Office of the assistant attorney general and the
chief of the pensions and miscellaneous divis-
ion OF the Interior Department. the latter
Mr.. Thomas H. Mus ick-to be chairman