The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-09
City Government Will Refuse to
Care for Patients.
THE COUNTY MUST PROVIDE.
Corpsrafisn Comnss1 Declares r. IL Net
. Mnnsespsi Dnsy -semesimss .
Matter Of Humsnify.

rrfnrir,se of retrencnment inaugurnted by
the city government the bills for are Of
city pssients at Providence hospital care
In for scrutiny, with the result thst nearly
. month ago the auditing COMMITTEES OF
the city notified the hospital that here
after no bills for patients would be paid
by the city unless q requisltion from the
board OF public works for the patients
care was obtained before the patient en-
tered the hospital.
Mayor Ronald has been investigating
the matter, and. being convinced in his
own mind Of the law ia the question, sent
the following letter to Corporation Counsel
Donworth on Thursday:
please give ne your opinion by tomor-
row noon. IL possible. II not. IS soon there
after a. you conveniently can. - TO who
constitute city patients. Ny object u to
ascertain exactly the extent of our duties.
as city. in the matter OF tsking care Of
the sick or u the fnfirfn. IN inyestiga-
fson. Just now completed. in connection
with the board al public works. leads me
20 the conclusion that the city - paying
thousands of dollars q year for MAIN
tenanee and care OF the sick and tnfsrm
people who should be cared for 81 the ex-
peBse Of the county
In reply 20 the abovs Mr.. Donworth
submitted the following opinion 70 the
mayor yesterday. setting forth the Law in
regard TO caring for the poor:
Your communication OF the 9Th inst.
asking for an opinion as 70 the extent OF
the duties of the city in taking care OF the
sick and infirm is at hand. ! have given
the matter an investigation. and beg 10 re-
ply as follows:
by the provisions OF sections 30s7 and
1896 Of HilFs Code, the board Of county
comm ssioners is vested with entire and
exclusive superintendent OF the poor in
their respective counties. except in 30 far
as the duties are imposed upon incorpo-
rate cities by their several charters.
These sections we're enacted by the legisla-
tive assembly ON January n. 1858. and
have been the law ever since, with one or
two unfmpoftanf changes.
by section 1893 IL is made the duty of
the connty commissioners. before grant
ing any relief 70 any pauper, To require
satisfactory evidence that he has been a
resident of the county for six months inn
mediately preceding the application.
These provisions apply 10 all poor,
whether needing food, lodging, medical
attendance or other necessaries. The leg
isialure. however, in the same law. has
made express provision for thu care OF
those who fall sick without means of pay
ing their expenses and who would never
theless be, while In good health. a county
charge. This provision is embodied in
section 1902 of Hills Code. and is as fol-
lows:
"'when any nonresident. or any other
person not coming within the definition of
pauper, shalt fall sick in any county in
this state. not having money or property
10 pay his board. nursing or medical aid.
IL shall be the duty Of the commissioners
Of the proper county, on complaint being
made, to give or order TO be given such as
sistance TO such poor person as they may
deem necessary; and If said sick person
shall die then the said commissioners shall
give or order TO be given 20 such person a
decent burial; and the said commissioners
shall make allowance for board, nursing,
medical aid, or decent burial expenses as
they shall deem just and equitable and
order the same to be paid out OF the county
treasury
1T seems TO me that language could not
be more explicit than the foregoing, and
am ut loss TO know why the county COM
missioners persistently refuse to care for
the sick who have no proper settlement
and are unable to pay their expenses
There 10 positive law therefor imposing
this duty upon the county commissioners.
II have made careful examination OF
the provisions of the city charter and
ind nothing therein Imposing any duty
upon the city for the care of the SICK, other
than the provisions regarding infectious
and contagious diseases. The board of
health is the head OF the health denart-
ment and its powers and duties in regard
90 the care OF the sick is confined
20 the location of and main
tenance of pest houses, combining
thereat aud in other proper places
those afflicted with infectious or consa-
gsons diseases, ana the establishment aud
government OF guarantees. The other
powers conferred upon the board of health
are OF that general character which has
regard ~ the prevention of contagton aud
spread Of disease through schools. libra
ries. markets and other means. Section 4
OF article 10 provides that the health officer
shall act a. city physician. The definition
OF city physician IS not given, hut I'M
doubtsdly the city physician and his as
sistanss must attend Ia those sick persons
en- whom by some provision Of law the city
owes medical aid. such As those of whom
the eity has taken charge ON account OF
the dangerous character of their disease TO
the pabsie az large. and SICK persons con.
fined in the city Jail or otherwise
under the direct care of the city.
This class of persons, in my opinion,
are the only city patients in the absence OF
a law or ordinance. | fad no ordinance
af the elty assuming tho care of other sick
persons. IL il my province merely to
state the provisions Of the law upon this
subject. An impression seems 10 have
prevailed that the city authorities would
provide board. medical aid and assistance
Tor The unfortunate sick whom the county
officers refuse to care Tor, and | atn la
formed this il constantly doav. How far
the necessities ef the case require or jus.
tlty the city IN taking care Of such patients
~ not tor me ~ determine. Your atses-
tton simply asks the duty OF the city from
leeas standpoint. THAI Is, What does the
law reaaire II "a do
Speaking of tho question Yesterday
Mayer Ronald SAID Ia has always been
my opinion thas the eoanty should care
FOR these patients and not the city. Several
years ago. when / was prosecuting AZ.
torney OF this county. was asked hy the
county commissioners for my opinion on
the question. and told them that the law
required the county 81 care Tor these
patients. hus as long as the eisy was doing
il there was no occasion tor interfering. A
month ago the auditing committee of the
council notified The board of health and
the hospital that they would not audit any
more bills for the care of patieot.
unless reqalsiton from the board oI
public works Was obtained before tAe
patient catered the hospital Since then
| have Investigated these cases and they
are county patients Why. the health
olsieer asked only yesterday for rv.luls8-
ton for man eho Is resident OF kstsar
eoBaty and owns q fartn there. Aad aae
case IL reported where rsQaisstion Mas
asked Cor man who Mas able and desired
% pay his ewa eill al the hospital Why,
the city paws ~ Ter cent % the ooan ~
taxes aayNay and ne want the eoanfy "a
take care CO these pe0ple"
tlr T. - Palmer ne4ftn s,fftray ard r =.