Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-03
YOUNG FUCKERS DEATH.
The Matter Has Been Fully Investigated
by the Hospital Staff
And DR.. Kerr is Completely Acquitted
of Any Neglect-Mr. fuckers Com
plaint and DIR. kerr's Statement.

Every once in a while there is some
complaint made as to the management OF
the Emergency Hospital. This is rather to
be expected from the nature of the insti-
tuition and the character of the cases
which receive attention there.
The latest complaint that has been
brought to the attention of the directors
Is In connection with the death of a young
man at the hospital on August 29 last.
The young man was ]. Harry Tucker, a
bricklayer, who fell from a broken scaf-
fold at 1872 18th street. Owing to an error
in receiving the telephone call the ambu-
lance was delayed nearly an hour in reach
ing the place of the accident. The injured
man was then taken to the Emergency
Hospital, where he died about sixteen hours
afterward.
An Investigation Made.
Mr.. G. II. Tucker, the father of the un-
fortunate man, at once made complaint to
the board of directors charging that DR..
Kerr. the surgeon in charge, had not done
his duty in the matter and demanding an
investigation. This has been held and the
visiting staff of the hospital, by whom the
investigation was made have fully exon
Grated Or. Kerr from all responsibility or
blame. The matter, however, has stirred
up more than a little breeze and the hos
pital authorities feel gratified that 1t has
been shown beyond doubt that everything
that was possible was done for the injured
man.
The board at its next meeting will be
called upon to act upon the report of the
visiting staff. of which DR.. Swami M. Bur-
nett Is the president, and DrW. H. Hawkes.
the secretary. This meeting will be held in
a few days.
Mr.. fuckers Communication.
Mr.. Tucker has supplemented his COM
plant to the board by communication to
The Star, in which he criticises the action
Of the visiting staff in generating DR..
Kerr. In this communication Mr.. Tucker
says:
1T was expected that when my son was
removed to the hospital he would receive
immediate and skillful surgical or medical
treatment by the surgeon in charge, but, un-
fortunately for the poor boy, 1t proved 9TH
erwise. Young Dr. Hough telephoned three
different times for DIR. Kerr. The latter
answered the messages but failed to go to
his post OF duty, and my poor boy died He
fingered for about sixteen hours, and there
is no doubt in my mind that. had the sur
geon done his duty, my boy would be alive
today"
What DIR. Kerr Says.
A Star reporter saw DIR. Kerr this morn
ing. When the communication was called
to his attention DR.. Kerr said that he was
WIN II EcCclNcu SeNcTdl
like 1t and that he had urged upon the
board that the fullest investigation be given.
THE visiting staff" said DR.. Kerr, ito
whom the matter was referred, found that
there was no ground for the complaint. Dr.
Hough emphatically denies that he tele-
phone three times. He telephoned me once
and | was not in. The next time he found
me and asked for directions, describing the
character of the accident. 1t was a concus-
sion of the base Of the brain, not in a por-
ton of the skull where the operation of
trephining would be possible.
There Is no occasion for surgical inter
ference in an accident like that Of young
fuckers and there was no need for me
to go to the hospital. DIR. Hough under
stood the case and in addition 1 directed
that the man be removed to the upper
ward, where. he could have darkness and
quiet and proper care. This was abso-
lutely all that could be done for him and
could and would have done nothing more
had l gone there in person. There Is no
operation known to surgery for such an
injury and my attendance was neither
necessary nor asked for by the physician
In charge of the hospital His report was
a matter of form and routine.
There was nothing that could have been
done for young Tucker, and his death was
the necessary result of his injury 1 can
understand Mr.. fuckers feeling in the mat
ter. but he is in error when he SAYS that
surgical aid would saved his sons life This
is more than borne out in Dr. Burnett's re-
port. / am indebted to The Star for its
fairness in ascertaning both sides of this
affair"