The San Francisco call., 1896-05-23
SCANDAL BROODS
ON THE HOSPITAL,
Supervisors Are Deter
mined on Holding an
Investigation.
MATERIALS ARE MISSING
Matron Blacks Relatives Are
Boarders at the Institu.
tion.
STORIES TOLD IN FIGURES.
! Fewer Patients and Twice as Many
Attendants as Under Other
Regimes.
STORIES TOLD IN FIGURES,

The most glaring of the many scandals
that have turned up during the admins
tration of the present Board of Health bids
fair to develop during the investigation of
che City and County Hospital, which has
been carried on by the Finance Committee
of the Board of Supervisors for some time
past.
few bills that did not appear to be just
right placed the guardians of the public
funds on the alert and the matter has now
grown so important that Supervisor Di-
mond has been appointed committee of
one to make thorough investigation and
report to the committee at its next
meeting.
Not only the Superintendent, DR.. Stable,
is involved, but also subordinate employees
who have been charged with acts that
place the institution in bad light.
The Finance Committee was informed
yesterday that Mrs. Mary Black, the
matron, was housing and feeding two
daughters and grandson at the lnstitu-
ton at the public expense, and that other
extravagances were being permitted that
were eating up the appropriation, which
has been declared by DR.. Stable to be in
oAAiNAShS A0A VIC PAOpOi odppOAb VI lAt
hospital.
It was also reported to the committee
that goods which had been sent to the
hospital for the use of the patients and for
the purpose of fixing up the quarters oi
the internes had mysteriously disap-
peared during the absence of the custodian
of the storerooms, and had failed to be
used for the purposes for which they were
| intended.
These matters were so much more i'm
portant than the heavy poultry bills that
| had at first excited the curiosity of the
committee that it was decided to look into
| them at once and see how much of the
| funds allotted to the institution had been
| frittered away.
In order to get an idea of what the ex-
penditures of the hospital should be, the
expert of the board was sent to look over
the books in the Auditors Office and COM
pile tabulated statement for several
years past.
The result was great surprise to the
committee, and one that will initiate
greatly against the increased appropria-
tion which the Board of Health will ask
| for the coming fiscal year.
The most glaring difference was between
the figures for 1867 and ISS4-5.
During the fiscal year 1867 under
DR.. Barger the average number of patients
was Ali, to take care of whom AZ attend
| anus were plOgeds ne JOtdl COSJ Ol
running the institution for the year was
S69, ,564 of which 81, ,223 50 was for SUBJ
| sistence.
During 1se4-5. under Drs. Titus and
| Stable. the average number of patients
was 302, more than 100 less than under DR..
Barger's regime, while TIE number OF
attendants was So, or more than twice as
many as under the administration oi
1857.
The cost of the last fiscal year was
$40, ,819, while subsistence cost 81, 440 81.
The decreased number of patents is par,
TALLY due to the fact that admission has
! been refused to many on the ground that
there were not sufficient accommodations
and the Finance Committee is WONDERING
how it is that the relatives of employees car
can be boarded and lodged there while the
needy sick cannot.
The committee decided yesterday that i
was not necessary to rebuild the hospita
during the next fiscal year or provide il
the tax levy for the same, and appointed
ex-Supervisor a. F. Knorp to make an esti
mate of the amount necessary to place tn,
buildings in good repair and sanitary con
dition.
|