New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-09
DID THEY SHORTEN HIS LIFEf
TRANSFERRED TO BELLEVUE DYING.
CHARGES OF CRUELTY AGAINST THE GERMAN
HOSPITALr-PARTIAL ADMISSIONS
OF THE FACTS

OF THE FACTS.
Bellevue Hospital and the German Hospital are
again engaged in a dispute. 1t is over cass
somewhat similar TO the recent one of Mrs. Mary
Freeman This time the authorities Of Bellevua
Hospital seem to have the best of the argument,
as the house surgeon of the German Hospital
partially admits.
On July %. Samuel Davis. Of No. l51 East
Observation-Disclosures aged thrty-three,
was admitted TO the German Hospital
on the intercession of Mr.. Rupert. the brewer.
lie was suffering from phthlsis.' ana
also had spinal complaint. besides cons
plication of other disorders. Last Friday after
noon. shortly after 3 o'clock. he was brought I'd
Bellevue Hospital in ambulance Of the Ger
man Hospital. lie in a d, ms condition
when he received. according 70 the Bellevue
Hospital physicians. and his death occurred yes
terday morning at :35 a.
The story of the Bellevue Hospital authorities
is that Dr. Moschowitz. who was with
the German Hospital ambulance, drove
away after leaving the patient with tho
required history of the case. Cl.'cf Clerk Glea-
son. who saw Davis when he was brought In, had
him hurried to a ward as fact as possible, as 10
was plainly evident that the patients death was
rapidly approaching. Dr. Hollester, who attended
hid. said positively that the mans death was cer-
tainly accelerated by his trip, and the joting he
received in the long ride from Seventy-seventh-st.
and Park-ave. to Tventy-sixth-st and the East
River. and that il seemed wrong thing TO do.
Another disorder was also causing Davis greaS
pan when he was carried in, and DR.. Holestcn
expressed surprise that the instantaneous
relief which can he afforded in such .
case by the application of a simple sur-
gical instrument had not been given him before
he was sent to Bellevue The patient, he said;
was delirious when he arrived, but not violently
so, and was kept alive through the night by
stimulants
Warden O'Rourl1e told of the case as soon
as it arrived. and he said last night it was about
time such practices were stopped lie sald thas
Bellevue Hospital would receive any case thao
came in, but that it was inhunan to take men
out of bed and drive them through the city wheR
in such a condition as Davis was.
Tribune reporter saw Mr.. Crane, the house
surgeon of the German Hospital last night lie is
kindly looking man, and does not appear as
though he would countenance such practices lie
said that they had to acknowledge having made an
error of Judgment in sending the man away, bus
that after q consultation with the staff 1t had
been decided that the removal would not bring
damage with it. lie also acknowledged that the
Bellevue Hospital doctor was correct In saying
that the patient had been sent away without being
relieved of the pain cccasoned by his other
trouble. The ward master had reported that it
had been done, but il was afterward discoyered
that this was not lie Indignantly denied THAI
the man had been sent away because he was dy-
ing Tie case was one that the German Hospital
declines to take, as there would be so many ap-
plicatons that the wards would soon DO
overcrowded. Besides, they take the
.ho ,ahf
He said they told the father of Davis that Davis
must be removed. The father asked for twenty
four hours to do it in, which was granted. The
time was I'D on Friday, and the father asked FOE
a further term, which they were forced to refusd
him. They then recommended Bellevue Hospitali
and though the regulations required the relatives
of patients to furnish the transportation, they
sent Davis in the hospitals private ambuances
paying the expense themselves.
When Dr. Crane was told that it was charged in
Bellevue that death was accelerated by the
removal, he said he couldn't deny 10
ard that he regretted exceedingly that the thing
had occurred. lie explained that it was lmpos-
sibe for Inn to keep all cases the capacity OF the
hospital being limited, and that there were
fonr other patients there at present who could
not be kept Davis should not have been taKeu
in at all, and. as it was. they stretched tho
they admitted him.
letter was written for publication last night
by Adolf Kobtzch. at present a patient In the
hospital. 1t is as follows:
II have been patient in the German Hospitat
Ward / and occupied bed No. ~ since Sunday
last suffering from attack of pneumonia: Ihs
ward contains twentysiX beds, all hlled with very
sick people Only five typhus eases amon9 thenij
Xii beds were filed until this afternoon, when one
man died. Samuel Davis occupied bed No. 8, tils
ore opposite mine. During the nights from sum
Gav TO Monday and Monday to Tuesday, there was
not single man who could sleep for minute ON
account of the noise caused by poor deirlous Davis,
and il would have been a great wrong ID Una
numerous other patients if he had not been re, re,
moved. as he endangered the lives of twenty otner
men On the contrary, on the part Of the h9spltas
authorities it would have been gross neglect IL
Davis had been allowed to remain, ,,,,e,c,,
Do'4' '''' "ADOLP.G kOBITISCH.
written in bed at 10, German Hospital"
Earlier in the evening, before tins etter was senu
70 The Tribune the reporter mad asked Dr. Crahe
whether Davis had been sent away because he was
deirious, and the doctor answered III the mega"