The morning call., 1892-06-16
THE COUNTY HOSPITAL.
Investigation Into the Manage.
ment of the Institution.
Difference of Opinion Among DoctOrs-A
Steward Who Was Bribed-Trouble
With Female Nurses.

The Board of Health met last evening in
the Office of Mayor SandersoD, and after
rontine business had been disposed of the
Investigation into the County Hospital was
commenced. DR.. Regensburger conducted
the investigation in conjunction with the
Mayor.
Drs. j. o. Hlrshfelder. C. n. Eliinwood
and r. A. Mclean were examined IN rela-
ton TO differences existing between those IN
charge of the polyclinic ward, and the
SUPERINTENDENT, DR., Lefevre, as to lnsuoor-
dination on the part of the nurses and mis-
management generally The testimony they
gave was not material.
DR.. G. F. Shields, visiting physician in
the polycllnic ward testified that frequently
the female nurses refused to attend to what
he called screen cases" cases where male
patients ara afflicted in such manner as to
make their wants repulSive to the trained
nurses.
DR.. A. Bazet aud DR.. F. w. D'EVlyn con-
cluded this testimony.
DR.. c. Won Hoffman considered the sman-
agement of the hospital good enough under
the circumstances.
DR.. II. Kreutzner also thought that mat
tiers were all right.
All the doctors who up TO this tine had
been examined were of the opinion that
lack Of sufficient funds had a good deal 10
do with whatever may be wrong about the
County Hospitals affairs, and that an In
creased appropriation would improve mat
tiers materially.
Hospital Committee of the Board of.Super-
visoTs, gave it as his opinion that Dr.
Iefevre had not given the management Of
the County Hospital the amount OF atten-
ton required Of him as superintendent
The witness had on several occasions when
r-fcfffuF he hosDifo4 hpAu ma nta 10 md the
superintendent. and he had reasons TO know
that the relations between the polytechnic
ward and DR.. Lefeyre were not mar
m0hiOus.
In the opinion Of DR.. Ayers Or. Lefevre
lacks the necessary executive a0llty 10 De
desirable or successful as superintendent OF
an establishment like the County Hospital.
When DR.. Ayers concluded DR.. LeieTre
explained his absence from the hospital at
the times complained Of by the witness by
stating that he had accepted the position as
superintendent only with the understand
Ing that he would be allowed to attend to
his outside practice.
THE STEWARD TESTIFIES.
J. c. Cousins, the steward Of The hospi-
tai. testified that he received all the sup
plies and acted as executive officer IN the
cOmmissaVv and euliDaFf departments. lie
receives his orders from the superintendent
only, but Miss Forsyth, who is in charge OF
the nurses, had Of late frequently attempted
TO dictate to him what be ought TO 90.
When he disregaTded her orders she would
90 10 Or. Lefevre ald have bin give the
same directions so that she would have her
way after all. Miss Forsyth also made
things unpleasant for the matTon and other
employees
Sir. Cousins tod a startling tale of
butcher, who had tried to pride him so as
to be allowed TO furnish bad meats TO the
hospital.
"He put some money in my coat poke"
said the witness, "but l Indignantly re-
turned it. whereupOn the butcher told me
WAS foolish, because everybody else did
these things
DR.. Bucknall wanted to know the name
of the man who offered the brides, aud so
did Mayor SBnderson, but Dr. Regens-
burger objected. lie did not think Il adYls-
able that The mans name should be men,
toned, because his action, If proven, would
Criminate BIN and the Grand Jury would
have TO indict him. If this matter ever
gets into a court, Dr. Regensburger put il,
@we have only Cousins word against the
butchers, aud it would become question
OfyeTacity between the two men
Cousins in reply TO some questions put
by tile chairman said that he knew the man
who put the money into his pocket and
that the latter had acknowledged TO him
that be did 1t to bride him. DR.. Long ex-
pressed himself to the effect that bribery
and corruption are common everyday oc-
affairs, and therefore not worthy OF any
particular attention.
Mayor SandersOn sharply declared that
If bribing men to rob their employers Is Gus
t0maTy such a custom ought to be abol-
ished instead Of being winked at.
The matter was dropped and the name OF
the butcher who offered bribe was n0t re-
vealed.
Steward Cousins continued his testimony
by stating that Of late the nurses table, oc-
.S-lI rr- 10 - 4 D.
the same food as that of the officers Of the
Institution. The bills Of fare are made out
by instructions OF the superintendent, and
to feed so large a number of people in first
class style was very expensive.
THE BILLS OF FARE.
Some Of the bills Of fare were read and
they proved that every delicacy Of the sea-
son is provided for Miss Forsyth and her
CORDS Of nurses.
Dr. O. II. Mays, resident physician of tie
County Hospital, was The next witness
he admitted that on several occasions he, as
well as some OF the other doctors, had expe-
renced some trouble before they conld get
the female nurses to attend TO some cases
and that be had heard complaints Of
patients Of rough and harsh treatment from
time to time.
Dr. NAYS was asked whether it was he
who admitted Mrs. FTeitas the leper into
the hospital, which question he answered in
the affirmative and stated that his eX-
pprience with leprosy cases had been very
limited and that while making preliminary
examination Of Mrs. Freitas, when she
came TO the hospital late atnight, he did not
discover that she was leper, although such
q possibility crossed his mind al the time.
sat a consultation held four days later it
was found the woman was leper, and she
was removed" said DR.. Mays, land that is
all about it. If it had not become known
that she came from the Hawaiian Islands it
would probably have never occurred to Us
that she had leprosy. When a reporter
called at late hour at the hospital TO in
vestigate the case the gate-keeper told him
both DR.. Lefevre and myself were out,
while, as a matter Of fact, we were both in
the building and in bed. The gate keeper
tried to do US favor by refusing to wake
Us up. and told the reporter lie in his zeal
to please u.s.
Dr. Lawler. the quarantine officer, wanted
70 know II Mrs. freitas showed any dishg-
uriDg marks on her face when she came 10
the hospital. DR.. NAYS said she had but
that they were located where her hair
could easily cover them so as TO deceive a
quarantine officer, unless he had made a
close examination.
P. MoultOn. the druggist Of the hospital,
testified that prescriptions Of six ounces are
ordered where only one ounce is needed.
end that much material is wasted in that
manner. He said he bad sole charge Of the
pharmacy and no one inteTfeTed with him
IN the execution Of his duties.
The last witness heard was John Lamb,
Tor three years the second cook ia the hos
pital. He said that since Miss FOrsy s
training school has been established the
female nurses dined separately from the
male nurses and that this innovation caused
considerable more labor to the men in the
kitchen. The time for Miss Forsyth
nurses to eat is the regular evening dinner
hour.
The investigation will be continued this
evening at P. NJ in the Mayors Office.
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