The record-union., 1896-04-24
amount of work done shall be fully re
ported and entered.
County Hospital.

On January the 10Th the jury visited
the hospital and made the examination
OF the buildings and matters connected
with the management of the same. We
found everything about the hospital in
good condition, and the patients had no
complaints to make as to the treatment
they received. The food furnished is
OF good quality and in abundance. We
| hnd the large quantities of supplies
are bought for use at the hospital with
out contracts, and in some cases where
| contracted for they are not bought
| from the parties to whom the contracts
were awarded, but elsewhere and at a
/ greater price than the contract price.
The following supplies were furnished
the hospital during the year in these
quantities, to wit: Meats and fish,
l01 ,6S3 pounds; eggs, 1858 dozen; tea,
for ten months, LAB pounds; coffee,
for ten months, 1902 pounds; sugar,
for ten months, 20771 pounds; soap,
for ten months, 9,O95 pounds; sal-soda,
for ten months, 12,940 pounds; drugs
for hospital, $1,S12 50.
| or course there were large quantities
of other and necessary articles Of food
furnlshed, but the staples named seem
out of proportion to what the require
ments should be, when it is considered
that many of the inmates do not use
much of the staple foods.
| For meat, this seems to be an ex-
travagance, as, including all kinds,
there is more than one and one-half
pounds per day for each inmate, and
we found that many Of the inmates
consume but little if any meats at all.
Coffee, about one pound per month for
each inmate; tea. about three-fourths Of
pound per month. There were 1,557
cans of fresh milk, beside the milk
from an average of eight cows kept at
county expense on the hospital farm,
consumed during the year.
We also found that gasoline con-
tracted for at, respectively, 1895 and
IL cents per gallon was bought at 26
and 81 cents per gallon; and soap, con-
tracted for at So OS and So 20 per 100
pounds, bought at So so per 100 pounds;
and many other articles of which large
quantities are used are purchased at
greater prices than contracted for.
We went into the investigation of
these matters thoroughly, and found the
quantity of nearly all supplies used by
our hospital to be greater than is con-
sumed by any institution Of the kind in
the State, and when the fact is brought
to the attention of the taxpayer he will
wish to know why it is so.
We find that many luxuries are fur
nished, such as olives, chocolate, ducks
and several other articles, which are
not intended should be furnished, ac-
cording to such contract as we have
with the experimenting physician.
1t is to be understood that the luxuries
named were furnished for the Superin-
tendent's private table. While we believe
the taxpayers are in favor of allowing
everything that is reasonable, we are
of the opinion that considering all the
favors conferred by this county on the
superintendent, and the privileges
claimed and used by himself, he should
more strictly comply with his contract.
1t is a well-known fact that DR.. White
has established himself in an office in
the city where he may be found during
certain hours, while he has arranged to
have competent assistants at the hos
pital, whose services are paid for by the
county. And while we have learned of
no complaints Of neglect upon the part
of the superintendent, we are Of the
opinion that he is not complying with
his contract with the county, nor CIV
ing the attention to hospital affairs that
(Continued on Sixth Paee1