The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-09

rnissloners TO absolutely refuse 80 care for
patients who have been in the county less
than six months, and Is has been the prac-
tEce for the city 20 care for them. When
We are called to see = patient land se are
called TO all parts Of the city,
We always investigate the cues
ton Of whether the patient has any
property, ard also his length Of residence
here. II be has been here more than six
months We refuse TO take him aud turn
him over 20 the county IL it - new
conner aud q chronic case. perhaps OF Q
man who has come here from another
county because he wants to ges into
good hospital, we turn him over 70 the
commissioners 20 send back 20 his own
county. The situation here 10 that the
county has bat one physician. who resides
e; the county farm. and there 10 bat one
ambulance In the cify-the patrol wagon
In case of accident the wagon 10 sent for
and the patient generally taken to the po-
lice station and treated there. In the
case OF veil known men they are taken
home. Bat IL the patient needs immedi-
ate assistance the county has no means OF
taking care Of him. We can not let him
lie there without care. and there
- HS soy .Dt ENktsiaE a. <NA- ~f-%S-t-
except at the court house in the
morning. He has no telephone 70 his
house. If We End the man 70 be Q county
patient. we recommend him TO Mr.. Gasch.
but be persisfently refuses 10 take them.
Last April / found four chronic cases in
the hospital that were county patients.
and wrote 70 Mr.. Gasch about them. He
refused TO take them. but finally did when
r.. "a Ism
about them. These cases now in the hos
pitai, claimed TO be county patients. are
ali cases Of accidents, broken leg. broken
ribs. torn scalp. etc. Yesterday had
case Of a man from Jefferson county, who
owns land shese. but IL was mortgaged,
and he had no money. but he had two
broken ribs and needed taking care Of. On
August Is we were notified that no
more bills would be audited for
patients at the hospital unless .
requisition were obtained before the
patient entered the hospital. went to
Mr.. Carson. who wrote the letter, and
asked him If be meant 1t. The board OF
public works closes at S o'clock. and if We
got patient that night IL would not be
human 10 let him lie at the police station
or anywhere he happened to be and suffer
till Monday morning SO requisition
could be obtained. In case OF call in
the night IL would be the same thing.
Humanity would forbid delay until morn
ing before taking the patient TO the hospi-
tai. Mr.. Carson told me that the board
meant II as written, but that 1t could not
be carried out 10 the letter and that
the patient could be removed to the hos
pitaI and requisition obtained as soon as
possible. On Labor day We had two
patients taken to the hospital sick with
typhoid fever, and obtained acquisitions
nett morning. / have always thought
these patients were county charges. but
when we are called 10 the police station to
attend man with broken bones or torn
scalp. humanity requires that he be at
tended 10. DONE believe there is any
doubt of the law on the question, but the
difficulty now IL practical one"
Chairman Fred Gasch is out Of the city
and could not be seen to give his views on
the question.