The morning call., 1893-10-07
HIGH DEATH RATE
Sixty Per Cent of the
Babies Died
AT THE FOUNDING ASYLUM.
The Coroner Makes an Investigation
Into the Management of This
Institution.

Hospital which has been maintained at
a1s Golden Gate avenue for many years
has closed its doors, and the helpless
charges which it had gathered within its
walls, and which had managed 10 escape
the slmest certain death which seemed TO
be lurking there. have been taken TO an
other asylum in ad fferent part OF the city.
But the fact that the institution has
been abolished does not deter Coroner
Hughes from proceeding with his investi-
gstion OF the Gauss of the death Of twenty
seven cut Of the forty-ive inmates last
month, and the inquest over the death OF
the last baby that was reported was be-
gun yesterday afternoon.
The ASYLUM is the same one which was
investigated by the Grand Jury about two
years age. and after the report was filed
IL mysteriously disappeared, but the sub
stance Of its findings were afterward pub
lished over the signature Of one of the
members Of the jury. and described con-
dition OF things which was net at all graf.
ifying TO the management ard which was
n complete surprise TO the puhiic generally.
After that investigation some reforms
we're instituted, though the board OF direc-
tors which was the same then as now.
did not discharge the superintendent or
the mstron. aud they held their positions
until removed by death, the mstron a few
weeks after the investigation, the super
tntendent few months aGo.
The institution then dropped out of sight,
SO far as the public was concerned, until
the alarming death rate attracted the Coro-
neT'S attention. which has resulted IN the
present investigation.
The only witnesses called yesterday were
lhe two physicians who have been con-
nected with the ssylum-Dr. W. +. Cheney,
the regular superintendent, and Or. Henry
Gibbons Jr., who filled the position for
about two weeks recently. while Dr.
Cheney was absent.
The death rate had never run above
seventeen" testified Dr.. Cheney. until
the month Of September when it reached
twenty ty-seven-about 90 per cent Of the
total number we had then,
The only thing 20 which | can attribute
such an alarming mortality Is the hyglenlc
conditions surrounding the babies. They
were evererowded. There were more in
fsnts brought there than ths asylum had
any facilities for taking care Of.
TIE babies were subject to = contsgi gious
disease. psmphigus, but il was not possible
TO put them any place in the building here
they would be Tree from it. Their condi-
tion when brought 20 the asylum was gen.
orally very poor and they readily fell vic
Tins 80 the disease, and, having Sc little
vitality, we're in no shape 10 withstand It's
attack.
II do net attribute the trouble SO their
food. Ii was nourishins and their beds and
clothing we're kept clean. The house was
ventilated as we'll as it could be. bat that
would not atone for the overcrowding Of
the wards.
The adults that l found there were in
no way affected by the hygienic conditions
Of the place. but were in COED health, eX-
cept for any disease they might have
Tfa I'D
ines ala not seem 10 affect their health IL
the least.
This particular child died from mani
tion and its condition was largely due TO
sn shscesS.
50 far as the conditions of the asylum
over which We had any control are con-
ceTneG. the nursing was all that could be
desired, Jbe food was heslthfnl and nouT-
ishing the bedding and surroundings were
clesnlv. and only the low vitality Of most
Of the babies that were brought there,
added TO the effect Of overcTowding. is re-
sp0nsible for the death Of SO large num-
bey."
DR.. Gibbons testimony was Of the same
general tenor.
No other Witnesses were examined yes
teTdsy. This morning the matren and
sOpls OF the nurses will be called. as well
as some other witnesses who may have
something interesting to say.
AstE4 TIE fNNAtSt III AdEtiCN was SCSt
st his Office aHd spoke Of the man sgement
OF the asylum IN general.
We bave been doing the very best we
could, considering the Disadvantages uD-
der which we iabored," said the doctor.
Although we maintained a lying-jn hos
ptal there it was designed to save from
exposure such unfortunate girls as had
been led sstTsy ard found themselves
about TO become mothers, But the asylum
was open only TO those who were able TO
convince Us that but for this one misStep
they had led moral life, and whom we
thought we copld restore 20 virtue and 10
usefulness And while they came with
the understanding that we would care for
the infants II required, we always tried to
persuade the mother 90 take II and provide
tor il herself
''l5ut the children born fin the home
were very small proportion OF the num-
Der left in the basket at the door, and il
was these, OF paTentags unknown, that
were the most weakly, and which were
the hardest for us to raise until We could
nad suitsble homes for them.
"BDt we hsye been ham mpered for want
of means The directors decided in June
last that they would close the Institution
on JaIy on account OF having 20 money
with which 80 carry on the work but We
found IL impossible TO close then, and
when the first Of the present month came
we found ourselves so deep IN debt that
we were forced TO Close,
But 1t is only temporary suspension.
The society has 10; on Point Lobos
avengs. and we have one beoasst from the
Lux estate Of $500. which Mr. Miller re.
fuses to pay, and another large one, $75,-
600 from the RysT estate, which is at
present in litigation. When we GET these
sums. along with others, we viii build 8
suitable place for an asylum, and reopen
its doors"
Some OF the Daughters Of the Good
Shepherd who wers responsible for the
former investigation. and who visited the
asylum on Wednesday along with the rep
resentatives Of the Bealth Department and
the secretary OF the Society for the Pre-
vention OF Cruelty to ChilaFen, q % not
agree with the superintendent as to the
sanitary conditions Of The piace.
ITO be sure, 1t ~ paradise compared to
what II was two years ago, said one OF
the ladies, ''but how abaut that garbage
barrel in the back yard, where The babies
were put out in the sun? 1t stood within
ten feet of where the cradles wers placed,
and sven il the barrel was emptied three
times week, that was no pace TO sci 6
delicate baby alongside Of the filthy thing.
And Oh the other side q pile of rotten
shingles were lying, which, while they
might not hart you or me, would not help
the condition OF those little ones, y hile a
Nonaen aeh haryel stnD0 mt far 2WsV