The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-21
TITUS SCORCHED.
His Hospital Management
Condemned.
NO MILK TESTERS ARE USED.
Poor Meat Delivered Instead of
First Class.
VERY LITTLE CHECK ON FRAUD.
Mayor El1ert Sustained i'm His Action
of Tearing Up the Bush Street
Railroad Tracks.

An Interested spectator OF the proceed
ings was the Hon. Jesse II. Rector OF
Missouri, who is on visit to his father
in-law, Supervisor James.
One of the most important transactions
of the board was the adoption of scorch-
ing report of the Finance Committee.
through Chairman James, which set forth
in scalhing terms the mismanagement and
extravaganza of the City and County Hos
pital.
The report was unanimously adopted,
and copy ordered transmitted to the
Board of Health for action. Its principal
parts are as follows:
Gentlemen: Your Finance Committee who
were empowered and required by your honor
able board 10 make an investigation into the
conduct and management of The City anc
County Hospital would respectfully report that
The City and County Hospital is particularly in
charge OF the Board OF Health, who, under Sec
ton 3OO7 OF the Political Code appoints the Of
flcerS whose salaries are fixed by law. also such
employees and medical attendants al such saia-
res as said board deem proper. The appoint
ing power Is vested in tie Board OF Heah who
have the power and whose duty II is TO prescribe
the duti-S OF said appOntees; thus the institu-
lion is placed under their sole charge and su-
pervislon.
The report continued to illustrate this
proposition by saying that all the Super
visors had to do with the hospital was to
appropriate sufficient sum of money and
that in accordance with this duty $4,000
had been appropriated for the maintenance
OF the institution during the fiscal year,
and $4,000 additional for improvements.
The report further stated:
Your committee find and so report tina. the
Investigation has disclosed the fact OF a care
less and eXtrayagant management, and such
a want of proper and judicious supervision as
have tended 10 unnecessarily increase the eX-
Nayonh "A
limits In The matter. particularly OF subsistence
anu Supplies. The quantity OF milk and eggs
furnished has been nearly doubled under the
present administration without any correspond
ing Ieductlon IN other supplies, and the num-
Der of employees has been largely increased.
The Board OF Supervisors having no control
over The management or over Tile other employees
of tie City and County Hospital. IL is lncum-
bent upon ITO insist that some necessary su-
pervislon BE- exercised by the Board of Health
TO compel their experimenting physician 10
so conduct The Institution that the expenses
thereof shall at least not exceed the appropria-
ton of S75 900 for the fiscal year.
From the testimony and experience of Drs.
Bergen, HeaIy and kearny, who have filled the
position OF superintendent Physician of tile
hospital, The APPROPRIATION Of $4,000 Is more
than sufficient 10 properly care for the SICK
with even a greater average number OF patients
Notwithstanding The facts that the present
superintendent. DR.. Titus, slated that he did
not know and could not 40 so.
The physicians formerly In charge of the in
stllution had abundant experience, and are aud
were thoroughly familiar with the needs and
requirements OF the hospital, and in testlfyiuy
were fully cognlZant OF The responsibilities de
vovng upon a Superintendent Physician TO
provide literally for the sick so that the wishes
of our citizens should be carried out aud til e
hospital maintained in the highest efficiency.
Your committee is CT opinion from the inyes-
legation that there Is some laXity III carrying
out The methods indispensable 10 receiving the
supplies furnished to ascertain and determine
the quantity or quality OF the same, aud this
conclusion is based upon the testimony OF the
cook OF the institution principally and upon the
total amount OF subsistence and supplies pur-
ported 10 be furnished and paid for.
The testimony Of the witness was important
in this. that the beef furnished the hospital,
Which is required under the contract TO be first
quality American steer in not less than half
carcasSeS, was -monstrated by witness not 10
be first class, although in his judgment the beef
was good enough, and the hospital was lucky
enough TO get that kind of beef.
The same witness testified that under orders
he had been receiving f0Ttythree cans of milk
the 1st OF this month. since which time the
quantity received daily was forty three gallon
cans.
Ii the testimony OF the witness Is credible
that The BEEF furnished was good, but not first
quality, il may be inferred that the same laxity
in the reception OF other supplies has become
a CUSTOM and II the quality IS not as called for
the same carelessness as to quantity may have
been exercised, and thus tie costs and expenses
of maintenance increased.
The singular anomaly is also presented from
Tie patients whose condition. in the judgment
of the medical staff, require TO be put on milk
diet, that The SUPERINTENDENT has not tested
said milk by lactometer, for the alleged rea-
sou that no such instrument was in the hospi-
tai. and, as stated, this milk used as diet for
such p tients Is not SO tested, and whether inn
pure or adulterated In a more or less degree, is
used and allowed TO be used without this alb
solule precaution being taken, and an instru-
inenI worth 81 or less Is not obtained TO ascer-
tain this important fact, while hundreds of dol
i.trC "A
uiay not be suitable or fit for tie purpose for
which II Is prescribed.
The custom OF selling the swill. junk, etc.,
from the hospital and paying The proceeds,
amounting To 5000 year. into the treasury,
has been discontinued. and no disposal of this
swill, ETC.. is made whereby any OF tile proceeds
reach the treasury.
That there is want of care and attention
10 the matter OF Tie reception or the supplies
admits OF no argument; that 10 supplies or
Subsistence, except such as the contracts call
Tor. should be accepted. is sef-eyident; and I'M
less system Is adopted and enforced by the
honorable Board OF Health to compel the SUI
perinl ending physician and steward to person
ally pass upon tho quantity ana quality OF sup
plies ordered when received, no check can be
effectual to control the expenditures, and In
The use and distribution OF the same the same
attention and care should be evlnced, so that
the disposition OF the subsistence and supplies
of all kinds may be ascertaned
Your committee respectfully calls the atten-
ton OF the Board OF Health 10 the fact that the
appropriation has been so far exceeded, and are
of opinion that as the conduct and manage.
ment of The hospital rests solely with said
board, that some immediate steps be taken to
have enforced such measures as will effect
what is desired either by means of requiring
The present superintendent 10 enforce such
duties or by securing the services oil some CON-
petent superintendent who BIAS tile ability, eX-
perience and desire To conduct the hosplt al
rs 10 keep within the liberal appropriation
made.
In conclusion, your committee is aware that
our Board OF Health Is at present deeply inter
esied in the passage of an ordinance prohibit
ing the sale OF adulterated milk, and al this
jnncturS IL might not b. cut OF place TO suggest
that the food supply furnished the City and
County Hospital presents fine field for inves-
tigati0n
The board adopted the following resolu-
ton sustaining the Mayer in his recent
action of tearing up the railroad tracks on
Bush street:
WHEREAS, The Sutter-street Railroad COM
pany has for years maintained public nuisance
aud trespassed upon Bush street, between
Kearny and Central avenue by reason OF Ger
tain rails OF iron laid down on said street pur-
porting to be track for a street railroad. and
whereas, the said Sutter-street Railroad Com
pany never had any authority OF law or other
wise TO lay down or maintain or 10 operate any
such railroad tracks upon said Bush street;
and, whereas, bis Honor the Mayor, In the ex-
ercise OF bis official duties as chief
executive officer of the city and county