The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-01
UNHEALTHY FOOD.
Expert O'LoghIen Files
His Report.
BAD MEAT AND VEGETABLES.
Delivered Daily at the County
Hospital.
CONTRACTS WERE VIOLATED.
A Mismanaged Institution With a
Superabundance of Employees
on the Payroll.

The Hospital Committee of the Board
OF Supervisors yesterday listened for two
hours TO Superintendent Titus on the su b.
ject of City and County Hospital expenses
for the next fiscal year. Superintendent
Titus asks for over S125, 600. Last year
he was given $4,000, and $4,000 extra
with which to make repairs and build a
training school for nurses. The $4,000
was not uses for the purposes for which
1t was appropriated, for Superintendent
Titus some time ago spent his SIS, 600, and
mas been making such inrOads on the
$4,000 that little if any of 1t will be left
at the close of the fiscal year.
This year Superintendent Titus wants
$4,000 to run the hospital in It's present
condition and something over $50, 600 for
extra expenses and the building of a
training school, which was not erected last
year out OF the special appropriation as
was intended.
The members of the Hospital Committee
listened patiently TO Dir. Titus, but il is
not likely that 1t will recommend any fig
ures approXlmating those asked for by the
hospital superintendent
Inc large bills of DIR. Titus have long
been source of ANNOYANCE, particularly
those for milk. which the Hospital Com
mltiee were OBLIGED TO cut down about $500
month. Notwithstanding this reduction
testimony was given the Hospital Com
mlttee that there were after this 100 pints
day left for the hospital managers and
employees The large number of employes
on the payroll of the City and County
Hospital has also troubled the Supervisors
who have to audit the bills. DR.. Titus has
lou employees on the payroll. according 10
DR.. Stanton, who claims that previous
ADMINISTRATIONS got along with half that
number.
Some time ago there were loud COM
plants lodged with the Supervisors about
the poor quality of food furnished the hos
pltal, while the contracts called for the
best articles In the market. Supervisor
James Of the Finance Committee dis
patched an expert to the hospital to in
Vestlgate these charges. The expert went
10 the hospital in April last and yesterday
made report, which is somewhat sensa-
iiOnal IN its nature. DR.. Stanton of the
Hospital Committee was Informed that
goat meat was being furnished the pa
tents. but the experts report does not
quite bear out this assertion. The COM
mlttee considered the report in executive
session, but did not take any action, as the
committee has found that all previous
complaints about the eXtrayagant manage
ment OF DR.. Titus were completely ignored
by the Board of Health, which body runs
the hospital, while the Supervisors foot
the bills. The principal parts Of the ex-
pertS report are as follows:
The milk, cream and -four delivered at the
hospital are good ana give no cause for COM
plant The butter. tea coffee, sugar and oat-
meal are fairly good and invite no criticism
The beef delivered on The first day Of my In
spectiOn was a very poor quality of cow; the
lean was OF dark purple color ana the fat was
nabby and OF saffron color. both of which indi.
cate unhealthy meat The nut, on was OF
poor starved quality and nearly One-third con-
sisted OF yOAes-whieh means shoulders and
neck cut from the BODY. The first delivery of
potatoes, beets, carrots cabbaees and turnips
which came under my inspection was wasteful
and trashy, the potatoes when peeled for use
as / saw them, worm holes and all damaged
portions cut OF, were by the operation reducrd
10 less than hall, the others more than half
sent 10 the swillbOX. The carrots were mostly
what are called buck or stag carrots, with tops
and earth hanging on, and really OF little use
except for swine; same remarks applicable TO
the beets, cabbages and turnips; and there is
no reason to suppose that the infeTiOrity IN
those kitchen supplies mentioned was an eX-
cepfiOnal case, but there Is every reason 10
believe that what l saw on this occasion was
fair sample OF what had been invariably and
continually delivered and received at ;he CITY
and County Hospital.
Inferior low-gTade beef and mutton and dam.
aged Dees and cabbages were, on my sugges-
ton, returned and better qualities substituted
Yet even with my presence here now, there are
10 supplies delivered Except perhaps milk and
flour 10 warrant me 10 say that there is any
approach made to conform to the requirements
of the contracts. When in supplying the ar
ticles of food of which there is the heaviest
consumption contracts are set aside and lg-
nored, and supply-meD allowed TO deliver in
their own interests as against that of the city,
therein lies wound up nearly all the whole
cause OF excessive expenditure.
Another cause Of increased expenditure ap-
pears from the large number of hands EMPLOYED
under the present regime over and above what
had been deemed necessary under prior ad
minstratiOns.
The change in the diet table is another cause
of Increased expenditure, aud while il is right
and proper and laudable TO give the poor pa
tents all the good things they can use. yet it is
IeDrehensibe in the management 10 send 20
The sick ward food that is never touched bv the
patients and only used to fill the swillbox
Learning from some OF the nurses that about
half of the patients refuse TO eat meat on FRIDAYS
and fast days consulted the diet table on Fri
day last. On 1t 900 meat rations were ordered
Tor 183 low diet patients, and according to The
Information received by me half those ratiops
went TO the wasteboX.
/ cannot, however ID justice to the discharge
of honest duty close this report without hold
ing I'D to the light character of the name of
Van Ness, who is employed at the hospital and
who has attempted 10 more ways than one to
thwart me 10 the discharge OF my duties. He
is man who las been hanging a. Ound this
Institution tor the last twenty years Often ex-
PEELED from Jh~re for drunkenness and conduct
unbecOmng any respectable person, yet he has
turned up under every administTa ton. The
hospital is his Mecca. Heretofore board and
lodging to him at the hospital were satisfactory
Now he is doing brJter. He is assistant steward,
holds the keys of the supplies, including the
butcher-shOp, when the steward is away hauls
supplies from town, runs with supplies from the
hospital TO the Pesthouse daily, and to cap the
climax of his happiness lie is now on the pay
roll. He is accused OF grave charges, which, If
proved against him. would put him IN stripes
That such a person is intrusted with duties
which should only be contided TO an honest
man speaks volume In support OF the charge OF
loose management made against the CITY and
County Hospital Respectfully submitted.
a. j. OLOGHLEN.
The experts report will be included in
the report of the Hospital Committee TO be
made to the Board of Supervisors next
Monday.