St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-25
DEADLOCK STILL.

a -
The Board of Corrections and
Charities Fails to Elect a City
Physician.
The meeting of the board of correc-
tiOns and charities held yesterday after
noon failed to break the deadlock in the
matter of the election of city physician.
Mayor Eustis and DR.. Woodward de-
cllned to vote as at the previous meet
ing, while Commissioner Martin stood
by his Chase guns. and President
Cl0utier and Commissioner Hove con-
tinued in their allegiance to DR.. Byrnes.
4 dozen ballots were taken with the
same resuit-Dr. Byrnes 2 and DR..
Chase /. 1t was decided to postpone
further baltOting until the next meet
ing. there being no hope of etfecting
compromise. Mayor Eustis presented
to the board a letter received by
him from Mrs. George Buckland, of IA
Eighth street south, in which she ac-
cused the assistant city physician OF
neglect, Inhuman treatment and num-
Der of other absurd things. among them
the OtfenSe of having ''unciean hands"
She said that on Jan. II Dane and his
sick wife arrived in the city from Win
nipeg. They moved into 4 little house
on Third avenue south. between Eighth
aud Ninth streets. in the locality known
as HELPS Half Acre. The wife was
about to become a mother, and having
no money to pay for medical attendance
DR.. Weston was called. Instead of car
ing for the woman as he should have
done. Mrs. Buckland said that the doc
tor lett her lying on the floor, in cold
room, without a bit of medicine, and
that he never returned. She said the
doctor told her he could not attend to
the case tor his hands were not clean,
and he had no facilities for washing
them. Mrs. Buckland, with biting
sarcasm" ended up her letter with the
state ment thai the Mississippi river was
near by, and if the doctor had such
filthy hands he should 90 there and
make them clean again.
The absurdity OF the charges made by
Mrs. Buckland were made apparent
when DR.. Weston appeared before the
board and explained the case. he was
called to attend the patient. but found
upon reaching the house that another
physician had been called, and would
be there in time to take care OF the
woman. Out of professional courtesy
he did not touch the case, for he did
not care TO begin case that another
physician was TO finish. 1t appears
that the physician called did not come
at all, though Dr.. Weston was not adj
vised OF it until Mrs. Buckland came
to him at his office. He then
told her the reason he did not
attend the case. and added that he
did not know when ne started out what
the case was and so had not prepared
himself. 1t was necessary in all cases
of child birth for the attending physI-
clan to prepare his hands with Surgi
cal wash and he could not endanger tie
life Of the patient by performing the
ObStetrTc2l operation before having
''surgIcaIly cleansed" his hands. Mrs.
auckland having no knowledge of med
iene or surgery, jumped to the cOuclu-
sion that the doctor mad made an ad-
mission that his hands were dirty.
Now, as a matter OF fact, Dr.. WestO n is
somewhat Gesthetical IN the manner in
which ne fixes" himself up and the
board had hearty laugh when he ex-
planned the licensing" OF hands as
meant by surgeons. Inc case OF the
woman first referred to, the doctor eX-
planned. had happily turned out all
right.
The committee to whom was referred
the annual report and recommendations
OF Dr.. Chase reported back that it would
be a wise move to ask the legislature for
an additional appropriation OF $4,000
for building new hospital and purcnas-
ing a site. 1t was agreed to hold the
matter in allegiance, however, until after
the board had consulted with the cOun-
ell committee OH Judiciary. the cOnSulta-
ton to take place next Friday afternoon.
F.rqoT
ted a report in which he embodied a
number OF valuable suggestions and
recommendations, which will no doubt
be acted upon by the board. He stated
in his report that the present WOrkhOuse
accommodations were entirely made
quate for the number of prisoners.
There were cell room for but $50 males;
vet the institution had been called upon
on several occasions of late to house 1872
male prisoners and females at one
time. The plan of allowing the inmates
to be crowded together, even for short
time, was pernicious one, ana should
be TemedIed.
The discipline of the workhouse, the
superintendent said, had been very
good and very little punishment had
been resorted to. The bread and water
diet and imprisonment dark cells had
the effect of bringing the recaicltrautS
to time very effectively. 1t was neceS-
sary to furnish some kind of employ
ment for the prisoners, other than dig
ging stone IN the Quarries. for many Of
them were unable 10 do hard manual
labor, but fully able to perform some
kind of indoor work. \ small fire hose
was needed, for in case of fire the insti-
tuition was practically without protec-
ton. Better drainage was also needed,
and needed badly. for the present sewer
age system was defective and might
lead to serious results in case OF cholera
or other contagious diseases.