The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-22
Another Batch of Appoint
ments Made by the Board
of Health.
IT CREATED a NEW OFFICE.
Startling Report by DR.. Titus on the
Deficiencies of the City and
County Hospital.

distributed among those considered the
most deserving. Incidentally DIR. Titus of
the City and County Hospital handed in
red-hot report on the deficiencies of that
institution He said that as he expected to
he relieved of his position by the new
board he might as well take advantage of
the occasion to speak his mind freely on
the abuses of the place. He stated directly
that he would not be willing to maintain
that actual loss of life had not resulted
from lack of attendants" In the extracts
below from his report will be found what
he thinks about the several departments
OF the institution.
The way was paved for the much-talked-
of vaccinating physician. If DR.. Miner
is to be believed he will be among the
great crowd of late petitioners to the
Governor who vii not get the place.
DR.. Hart started the rather prosy meet
ing of the board into life by a stirring
speech on the way the messenger of the
board was acting as vaccinating physician.
He said:
wish to call your attention to the wretched
fact that the messenger of this Office has been
acting as public Vaccinator. A skilled phySi-
clan should have charge of this position and
meeting to move for the appointment OF ply
stefan of standing to fill the office. At present
we have an inferno who should attend 10 the
matter l move that q committee OF two be
appointed to consult with the Board OF Super
visors for the appointment of a vaceinating
physician and the payment OF proper salary.
The motion was promptly carried, and
Drs. Hart and Williamson were named on
the committee.
Harry O'Donnell is the messenger of the
lid III VII %ha
Then the throng of Office seekers that
crowded about the door craned forward as
DR.. Fitzgibbon pulled a sheet of paper
from his pocket and remarked: Il move
that the following Offices be declared va
cant: In the City and County Hospital,
clerk assistant machinist, third waiter and
porter. In the Almshouse, teamster,
Waterman of the second building farmer,
ambulance-driver and nurse" The motion
was carried.
DR.. Hart at once moved for the following
appointments to the vacancies: In the
City and County Hospital-Clerk. Charles
Eisner; assistant mactinist, L. Helbing;
third waiter. j. Hackett; porter, D. Moore.
In the lmshouse-Teamster, John
Brown; watchman, second building, NJ.
McCoppin; farmer, r. ?. Julian; amhu-
lance-driver, James Cuddy; and nurse, P.
Heating.
The internes of the City and County
Hospital drew down the wrath of the
board on themselves by petitioning to be
relieved of the duty of keeping up the his
tory of that institution. A reply was
framed stating that any inferno who did
not want to attend to the duty could re-
sign.
The Paramount Improvement Club sent
in communication condemning Chenery
street from Paramount to Miguel streets
Referred to Health Officer Lovelace.
a similar notice was read from property
owners in the vicinity of Fifth avenue and
Clement street. Referred to the Health
Inspector.
Members of the Richmond District I'm
provement Club called attention to the
unhealthy condition of the sewer in the
Richmond school. They asked that the
proper sewer connections be made. Re-
ferred to Health officer Lovelace.
Superintendent ?. l.. Weaver of the
Almshouse reported S74 inmates during
the last month. OF these 40 were dis
died, leaving 81 remaining there. The
monthly expenditures footed I'D $6642.
Ex-Health Officer Keeney reported the
following totals OF deathr for July: Con-
sumption III, pneumonia %, bronchitis
16,. vaIvular heart disease SO. cancer 81,
casualties II, suicides II and homicides 2.
Then came the startling report of Super
lnteDueHG Illus VI Tie OlIy dllQ SOunty
Hospital. In it he said:
This hospital has for years been notorious,
all over the English-speaking world, at least,
and has been referred to by the authorities as
an example of what modern hospital should
not be. 1t has been censured as faulty con-
stFucted, wretchedly equipped. insuficiently
manned and miserably sustained. 1t is well
that the people of this City should know the
facts.
Concerning the buildings, it will be impos-
sible to postpone more than a very few years
the construction OF a new hospital where the
mistakes of the present one can be avoided.
The general plan of the present building is ex-
cellent, but the heating is insufficient, I'M
clearly, inconvenient and expensive.
The provisions for the segregation of insane,
noisy, contagious and offensive cases are en-
tirelg inadequate. The cells in the basement
which are possibly intended for them are so
cold ana damp that to put human being in
them is quite out OF the question. The present
buildings are lar too small. The female medi-
cal ward is overlooking with patients. Chronic,
long-standing and iDcurable cases are now
transferred to the almshouse. There are over
200 patients there now who are in need OF
hospital care and better nursing.
One of the sources of trouble for the man.
agement. as pointed out also by several OF my
predecessors, is the division of the control be-
tween two boards-the Board of Health and
the Board of Supervisors. The Superintend-
ent receives his orders from one source, and
must ask for every dollar he needs to carry
them out from another source.
The fact that the hospital draws on the gene
raj fund, instead of having fund of its own,
may at times cause serious inconvenience, as
was shown during the past year when the
supply OF medicines ran out, and l was forced
TO call on the public for donations.
Our laws would prevent any one furnishing
supplies under such circumstances from ever
receiving any compensation. The druggists
refused TO bid on my acquisitions, and the SICK
were suffering for medicines and surgical
dressings.
The adoption of the proposed new charter
would remedy this evil.
This is large institution and q hard one to
manage, and the Superintendent should have
all possible assistance to make the task easier
No superintendent should be compelled to
work with subordinates retained for other
reasons than the satisfactory performance of
the duties required of them. Give the Super
intendent full authority and hold him respon-
sible for all that happens.
The paucity of nurses in this hospital is a
disgrace to any civilized community.
The highest ratio between patients In other
hospitals is nearly eight to one; here it is
nearly nineteen to one. At night each nurse
has charge of four wards-125 beds.
l would not be willing to maintain that
actual loss of life has not resulted from lack
of attendants.
Recently in a London hospital charges were
preferred that there were not enough nurses to
properly care for patients That hospital fur
nlshed one nurse TO every three patients.
Our training school a present neither suffi-
structs the pupils. The reason IL las not been
ored in vain TO secure IN appropriation to
q NJ N odh ~