The morning call., 1894-07-21
is VERY LAVISH.
How Money Goes at the
Hospital.
A VERY DEAR NECESSITY.
The AImshouse Costs Much
Less.
HAS TWICE AS MANY INMATES.
Some Contrasts Between the Ex.
= pense Accounts of the Two
Institutions.
AS TWICE AS MANY INMATES.

!. When DR.. Titus and his four fast
friends composing the Board of Health
assert that 1t is necessary to turn patients
:out of the City and County Hospital into
the street in order to keep within the ap-
preparation the official records OF the city
stand forth as their boldest accusers.
= The very documents that DR.. Titus files
each month are the strongest evidence of
= extravaganza and mismanagement at the
hospital.
Supplies that cost one purchaser GER
tain amount cost DR.. Titus over % per
cent more, and yet the economical doctor
In his monthly reports makes no attempt
:. to: explain this strange state of facts.
Neither does Dr. Titus offer any reason
: why it requires eighty-three employees to
attend 10 the wants of 395 persons at the
City and County Hospital when twenty
. six employees care for 500 men and women
az the Almshouse. So far no reason has
been discovered why the services Of so
many attendants should be required at
. the City and County Hospital. for there
are more patients confined TO their beds at
the Almshouse than there are at the hos
pitaL No other superintendent OF the
so much help, but presidents seem to go
for naught in this respect as In others.
, The fact that the Mayor and the Board OF
: Supervisors do not see any necessity for
hiring a servant for every four patients in
the hospital seems to have no weight with
the Board of Health, and by vote of to
: O they vote to sustain the long payroll.
-. The two great leaks at the City and
- it11 in bn SnnnlU dRDapf-
rnent and the salary list. These bills
. cause a cold chill to run up and down the
backs of the Supervisors every month
when they are presented, and at the end Of
the year would leave the hospital in debt
if more money were not given to supple
ment the original appropriation. 1t is
therefore interesting TO compare the ex-
pense accounts of Dr.. Titus and Superin-
tendent Weaver of the Almsbouse. 1t
should be borne in mind that both gentle
men buy their supplies by contract, and
have an equally good opportunity for
showing their business instincts ana
securing good bargains, and with
two hundred patients confined to their
beds all of the time at the Almshouse that
Institution is practically as much of
hospital as the City and County Hospital
%. Tine contracts at both places call for first
class supplies, and it is a well-known fact
that Superintendent Weaver gets what he
paws for. In fact, all of the conditions
are equal, with the exception of the fact
that there are 500 inmates at the Aims
house and only 3O5 at the City and County
Hospital Oae would naturally expect
that if there was any difference in the cost
Gf running the two places the balance
d would be slightly in favor of the City and
County Hospital. Here are some COM
. parsons made at random showing the cost
: of food supplies, medicines and the amount
OF salaries paid:
:: Last month, with an average of 745
patients, the Almshouse was conducted
for S4542 %. or for 1924 81 less than the
amount appropriated for the month. In
the same month, with an average of 429
patients. it cost S7O57 Y to conduct the
City and County Hospital, or 1892 Y more
than the appropriation. In other words
1t cost just S2515 43 more to keep 429
patients at the City and County Hospital
than it did to keep 745 at the AlmshOuse,
all conditions being equal.
During the same month there were
seventy employees on the pay roll at the
City and County Hospital in addition to
thirteen who worked for their board and
lodging, to whom was paid $3.50. Super
inteudent Weaver managed to care for his
500 odd patients, with the assistance of
only twenty-five employees. to whom was
paid $3.50.
So the months 90 at the two places.
Mr.. Weaver invariably runs below his
appropriation and DR.. Titus above his. At
the end of the year Weaver has a balance
in his favor and DR.. Titus goes before the
Board Of Health and tells how ne exceeded
his appropriation.
And his explanation is always accepted.
For the fiscal year ending June 80 it
cost SIS. 434 At to conduct the City
and County Hospital. For the same
period it cost S73,O78 81 to run the Aim
house. OF this amount S7352 rs was ex-
pended in putting up new building and
in making general repairs about the place.
The actual difference therefore in the cost
of running the two Institutions was
81. 7O8 80.
- Why it costs so much more to care for
400 patients a. the hospital than it does TO
support 800 at the Almshouse is question
that nobody can answer. Mayor Ebert
and the Board of Supervisors say it is
because Or. Titus is very poor business
man and keeps too many employees. The
Board of Health, however, takes the doc
tors side, and there the matter stands.
The Board of Supervisors would respond
promptly 20 a call for an extra session at
3 o'clock in the morning If it were In their
power to discharge Titus, but they can do
nothing. The sole power to appoint a
man in charge Of the hospital who would
conduct its business affairs in business