The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-05-24
VERY BADLY MANAGED.
ARTHUR TANNER ON THE COUNTY
r HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT.
He Says There Is u Lack of Proper
Facilities and Proper Food for the
Patients-No whisky In the
Consumptive Ward.

Arthur Tanner, who has just come
out from four months treatment at the
county hospital, called at the HERALD
Office last night and said that the
charges made by the Kings Daughters
were substantially true.
He was in the hospital for an abscess
on his foot, and lost two of his toes by
reason thereof. Tanner was very con-
servative in his description of the con-
dition and management of the hospital,
and did not appear to have any personal
grievance, stating, in fact, that ne had
been treated very we'll while in the hos
pital.
His structures were more in the nature
of lack of proper facilities and food for
the treatment of patients than com
plants of personal nature.
In regard to the charge that patients
were ordered away from the hospital be-
fore they we're well, he said that he had
known OF seven instances, of the kind
while he was there. He could remem-
Der only two OF these men. One OF them
was man named Bob and the other a
Swede.
Since DIR. Kagan had taken charge the
whisky had been cut off in the consump p
tive ward.
The sanitary condition OF the hospital,
he claimed, was bad. The hot water is
turned off for four days in the week. In
case patients come in during the night
there is no hot water for bathing them
at all at night, and even in the day time
it has to be brought clear from the
! kitchen.
The food. Mr.. Tanner contended. was
| bad, except dinner, which was reasona-
bly, good, although there was an unend-
ing round of beef and no change in the
bill of fare day in and day out.
Breakfast consists regularly of oat-
meal and milk, leavings from other
tables served up as steak, and coffee
which is so only in name.
Supper is about the same, oatmeal
and milk, served on plate with cooked
dried apples, some kind of a hash and
tea.
The bill of fare given is regular, and
there is very little change in the arti-
cles mentioned.
Speaking of the treatment of patients,
Tanner stated that 1t was kind, and he
paid Mr.. Jap, the chief nurse, high
compliment in this particular. Patients
who are convalescent are expected to
assist in the nursing.
The beds he said are not what they
should be. They are spring beds with
hair mattress of some kind on top.
and in many of the beds in the surgical
ward, where Tanner was, the hair had
worked away from the middle go that
patients naturally rested on the springs
The drug store, he also said, was not
Kept in good condition. Once he was
seized with cramps and wanted some
ginger. On going down to the store it
was found there was no ginger and he
noticed that nancy of the bottles were
empty.
Coming to the management of DR..
Hagan, Mr.. Tanner said that he might
be very kind man for all he knew, but
that scarcely any of the patients he'd
ever seen him. He said that DR.. Hsgan
rarely came around at night to see the
patients and their condition. as DR..
Brainard used to do.
Mr.. Tanner referred to one fact, that
the scrapines OF the lawn had been left
under the women's wards windows for
two months, but has now been cleared
away.
If the supervisors had ever called at
the hospital he did not know it at any
rate they had not come in the surgical
ward where he was.
In regard to whether special prepare
tions were made for official visits or
whether patients who make complaints
are bulldozed, Mr. Tanner said he had
heard Of sucn things but would not say.
as he could not substantiate what he
had heard. He declared that he could
prove all that he had said.