The San Francisco call., 1896-11-21
Doctor and a Nurse Fever
Stricken by Noisome
Sewer Gases,
Overcome by ExhalationS From
Broken Pipes and Bad
Plumbing.
DR.. Gallagher and Miss Hayden Very
Ill and DR.. Hirschfelder Had
to Leave.

The reason why the city fathers and the
health authorities at last succeeded in de-
Gliding upon a comprehensive change in
the sanitary arrangements of the City and
County Hospital has just come to light.
1t was almost case OF locking the stable
door after the steed was stolen, for serious
consequences followed the neglect of the
proper officials, several people connected
with the institution came dangerously
near the grave and. indeed, not a few are
still suffering from the effects of noisome
exhalations from sewers in and about the
OLD buildings.
For various reasons the sufferers re-
mained silent. 1t has been said by people
in authority at the hospital that nobody
liked to make comments which might re-
fleet on the management, or upon those
members of the City government directly
responsible for the condition which has
caused so much sickness even among the
physicians.
The truth of the matter is malarlal fever
has long been hanging like a cloud over
the City and County Hospital, sewers
were broken, or hopelessy stopped, and
the air reeked of poison and noxious odors.
Even disenfectants were of no avail to
neutralize the effects OF such gases. In the
words OF an Interne, 1.-THE walls are satu-
rated with dangerous germs from the
decayed sewers, ana the alleged sanitary
arrangements are menace to health
All this was made painfully apparent
when young DR.. Gallagher succumbed to
malarlal lever, and a nurse, Miss Hayden,
was Frustrated by the same disease DR..
Hirschfelder, who applied himself assidu-
ously to experiments in the office or
laboratory of wards J and K, was caught
by the noisome gases. ALI three had TO
leave the City for a change OF air in con-
junction with medical treatment. Others
have suffered in less degree.
DIR. Gallagher appeared Ia be one of the
strongest young men among the internes.
he had splendid constitution, but re-
naming too long near an unseen break in
a sewer, where duty called him, shattered
his strength, and he left the hospital q
very sick man. He is now in the country.
gradually throwing off under the influence
OF the pure atmosphere the malarial poison
in his blood.
Miss Hayden happened to be located in
another wing of the institution, where
the modern sanitation was not strictly in
accord with ideas on the subject as they
prevail In other hospitals. The plumbing
and sewers worked & e wrong way, with
the result that nurses and internes have
had headaches for daily companions and
symptoms of fever were comm Quinine
and other things in the drugstore have
been in great demand. Miss Hayden was
the first OF the nurses to give up to the
disease, which caIle near ending her days.
The resident physician admitted that
they had been stricken with malarial fever.
even DR.. Hirschfelder, one of the visit
ing physicians, he said, had to go to
Santa Cruz for week to get rid OF the
malaria. He says he got it from the con-
dltion OF the sewerage system under the
office of J and K wards, where he had been
conducting experiments with tuberculosis
and doing great deal of work with the
microscope.
"When the ground underneath was
opened they found the pipes broken
These were of the old red terra-cotta kind,
very soft and OF poor quality, and they had
entirely rotted away"
DR.. II. ii. Hart of the Board of health
said that all needed changes would be
made IN the sanitary appliances and gen.
eral sewerage system of the City and
County Hospital.
As measure to provide for the safety
OF physicians, nurses, etc., not to speak OF
the patients, 1t was absolutely necessary
that something be done.
I'VE got an appropriation from the
Board OF Supervisors two weeks ago." he
said, land already the work of putting in
Az y" 10 anu mas D6Run. In
short time the conditions will be en-
tirely changed
The neighbors who live around the hos
pital, when informed of the sickness prev
alent within the institution from the vile
sewer system, have been greatly alarmed.
ana many OF them declare they will in
duce the improvement clubs to take nm
the fight again for the removal of the hos
pital to another part OF San Francisco.
They believe that the best thing to be
done is to burn down the buildings and
erect proper hospital elsewhere.