The morning call., 1892-05-06
THE INDECENT SICK.
A Visit to the City and County
Hospital.
How the Institution Is New Conducted
Food and Care Of the Patients.
What Is Needed.

the management IMAM does mat one when
is devoted to the SICK that one which shell
tiers those who from force of circumstances
are compelled to accept the care and atten-
tion which is given by the authorities. That
place is the City and County Hospital. to
which have to 60 those who are so unfOr-
tunate as to be Overtaken by sickness and
who have not the kind attention of dear
mother, an affectionate sister, a loving wife, a
true brother, a conSiderate husband or even
friend TO minister 20 their wants.
The authorities of this city. to meet the
increasing demands for room. abandoned
the old hospital at North Beach some
twenty years ago and erected, for that time,
suitable and comfortable structure on
PotTero avenue, between Sierra aud Ne
yada streets. Since that time the conf
munlty has increased more than one-third,
but the accommodation for the sick has not
only not been increased, but IL has been
allowed to remain as ii was then, and ia
order to meet the demands Of the present
day the officers Of the institution have been
forced to crowd patients into wards and
make the most OF the available space.
A representative of The CALL visited
this institution one day last week and spent
several hours there examining it from base
ment 10 garrett, with view TO see how tho
clty'S wards are treated and 10 present a
true picture Of life ia the hospital. 1T must
be said to the credit of the resident physi-
clan, DR.. Lefevre, who is the superlntend-
ent OF the Institution, that he has always
before him the old axiom that cleanliness is
next to goodness. There is not a place in
the hospital or the grounds Surrounding it
that does not hear evidence of careful
sweeping, brushing aud scrubbing. The
several wards were visited. ana in these il
was evident that order and cleanliness is
the ruls. The bedding furnished the pa
tientS is of cocoanut shreds, which is equal
10 the best excelsior, and the pillows are of
black hair. The sheets were clean aud OF
good quality, and The other covering of a
good texture and in quantity according to
the needs Of the patient as prescribed by the
physician in charge Of the ward.
TALKS WITH PATIENTS.
In each and every ward the representa-
tive, who was making his tour Of inspection
unattended, engaged number of patients
in conversation on the subject of food and
attendance, and the answers as a rule were
very favorable to the management
Said a young man in the eOnsumptive
ward. the ward in which the patients are
the most difficult to please, II do not know
that any one has any right 10 complain at
the treatment that is given here. 1t is cer-
tainly far superior TO that / would receive
at nome unless / had the means TO satisfy
every whin that comes TO those who like
myself are afflicted with the disease from
which | am now suffering, and from which
know there is no deliveTanee. The food is
good and palaiable. and as to that no one
ought to complain"
An elderly man who has been In the
hospital for some time. also in this ward,
was enjoying that which had been pre-
scrlbed as his diet. II was beef tea, steak,
potatoes and some rice pudding and a
liberal allowance Of bread. Yes" said
the old man in answer to questions, Il have
as much as | can eat and have no fault to
find with ii, for it is good"
In another ward, where. are those patients
who are suffering from bruises or injuries
which in no way affect their appetite, the
representative aeecsted a healthy looking
individual who was suffering from an injury
10 one Of his limbs, which prevented him
from leaving the ward, so his meals had 10 be
brought 10 him. and he was just commence
ing TO discuss that which had been laid be-
fore him, when he was spoken to. The
meal, which was the MONDAY one, consisted
Of a bowl Of pea SOUP, beef and cabbage,
boiled potatoes, bread aud rice pudding.
Certainly" said the patient, who, from his
language and manner OF addressing the in
yestigator, showed clearly that he is man
of more than average intelligence, "this is
ngt Pflfef H9tel f4Feo al fqH On lis tltHtion
expect, for il is, nutritious and is sufficient
for any man who has 10 pass his time In
dleness. It is more and better than many
men with families have In this city, but |
will admit that there are men In this insti-
tuition who probably have not had as good
as this for months before they were admit
ted who are continually growing, and who
think that they know better than the
doctor who attends them does as to the diet
which is best for them. But they are
born GROWERS, and no doubt their class Is
TO be found in every city IN the world and
In every public Institution. AS 10 the at
10 20
complain"
Another, who was suffering from liver
trouble, was asked If he had any complaint
to make as to what was before him. but was
not In very communicative frame OF mind,
and in q rather surly manner said, when
asked as TO the food served him, Its good
enough, such as it is"
QUALITY OF THE FOOD.
The representative went to the several
rooms in which the ward stewards serge up
the meals for the patients before they are
taken into the wards. That which is served
up in these rooms is brought up from the
kitchen in sets of tins each containing that
which has been ordered by the ward doctor.
10 more no less. The soup containing Just
so many bowls as have been ordered Is sent
up In a tin PAIL served up by the steward
and carried 10 the BEDSIDE OF the patient by
one of the GONZALES ents. The meat comes
up in tin bearing the initial Of the ward :;
j
the pudding, another containing vegetables
covers that, and the fourth is filled With
potatoes, which are covered with a tin.
From these tins each patient Is served his
allowance. In several Of the rooms the rep
resentative tasted of the food served up and
found all palatablP, with the exception of
the cabbage and potatoes, which, while not
really bad. were not up to the specifications
called for by the contract, which declares
that 1t shall be THE best in the market"
The potatoes were very soggy, and the
cabbage decidedly old. The market at this
time ab0unus with new potatoes and sound
cabbage, which is coming in daily by the
carloads from the gardens just outside the
city limits and from other points by the car-
load.
The special diets prescribed by the ward
physicians are sent up separately and served
by the ward steward. They Include eggs,
milk and delicacies. Every afternoon the
physician examines the patients in his ward
and on special blank sets forth the par
ticular amount of food required for the fol-
lowing day. This shows how many are
able to leave the ward and go to the dining
room. how many who are TO receive the
same diet as these, but are unable to leave
the ward, how many there are on milk diet,
how many are to receive eggs and how
many to have specially prepared articles.
The nurse is advised as 10 what each patient
is entitled to. The ps 60 prepared are
then turned over TO the general steward,
who transcriDes them on a sheet, which he
sends to the cook, and from this, which In
addition TO patients diet shows how much
is required each day for the executive off,
GERS, the internes, the nurses and the hired
help. the cook makes up daily what he Is
ordered to.
THE STORES INSPECTED.
The kitchen in which this food Is pre-
pared Is large. commodions aud well APP
pointed. Adjoining this is the butcher-shop.
in which Is kept the meats furnished. The
contractor, who Is the same who supplies
the Almshouse. furnishes excellent beef,
but as in the other institution the mutton is
specifications. Nor are the potatoes. nor
the beans, nor the cabbage; but aside from
these the provisions and stores are of good
quality.