The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-16
Grand Jury'S Hospital Com
mittee Unearths a New
Scandal.
Public Institutions Supplied With
Chemicals and Charged
Fancy Rates.
Bills Passed as Correct Through
Several HAMS at Nearly Doub e
the Trade Values

The hospital committee of the Grand
Jury has discovered a strange condition of
affairs with regard to the bills for drugs
supplied the county jails, the hospitals
and almshouse. An investigation was
made last week.into the prices charged for
drugs and sundry articles supplied by
druggists, and the chairman of the COM
mlttee, August Drucker, states that the
CITY has been paying about two prices in
this. department.
The bills examined were literally
covered with signatures, indorsing their
cFrrectness. Deputy sheriffs, jailers.
ctors signed them as correct" then
We auditing committee of the Board of
supervisors accepted these Endorsements
and. passed" the bills by appending their
names thereto; and last of all the Audi
TOR anxed the seal CT his approval Then
the money was paid without question.
Inc Grand Jury committee got bills for
drugs, ETC., for three or four months past.
ana al the same time secured bills from
tHree druggists wholesale and retail on
Inc various articles sold TO the City. All
me DIS examined were those of Waller
brothers, the druggists. Here are the
Hgures OF the July bills and the trade
prices: Bill SD go worth IS 40: bill
S9o 40. worth $50 Sc; bill $sS 10, worth
va 70; bill $136 20, worth $50 10: bill
$!.75, worth 81 25; bill 1914 So worth SIS %;
g piIe Sbo 70, worth $43 40; bill $133 10, worth
500 81; b il pl06 10, worth $50 l5.
g The difference between the warrants for
July ana the total sum charged for the
same articles by retailers was figured out
at '$z6I Is, on bills aggregating S67S 55.
ana yet ior two years the same bills have
been passed along the line to the Treas
prer ONCE without ever question about
prices.
t'In the July bill for County Jail No. g."
said Mr.. Drucker. "haIf gallon of cough
mixture is charged at 81 so: it can be
bought for 81 % in any drugstore. A half
gallon OF bromide mixture is CHARGED at
%; 1t can be bought for 50 70. Captain
u. d. Boyle marked this warrant correct.
WHISKY IS charged at 81 a gallon, and the
same grade costs only 50 so. a halfigalIon
OF castor oil is put down at 50 70, though
It's cost IS % cents; two boxes of bella
Gonna plasters, four dozen, is charged at
81 20. The price is So so anywhere
Here's the Coroner's office-the July
1896, bill. One quart of carbolic acid is
charged at 81 50; it costs 70 cents. 4 gal
lon Of solution Billroth' is charged al SIS.
discovered this solution, which is used
as an anesthetic, was cologne water,
worth 50 gallon, or one-t third o. the price
CHARGED. Half dozen rubber gloves
cost 81 90 and they can be got anywhere
for 81 30. A gallon OF disinlecting solu-
ton cost IS so; its price is 81 rs The to-
al Of this bill was $34 So. The same
.hlngs cost SIS Is in any druggists
- Here is bill for the police patrol for
July: One gallon of arnica, with demijohn,
81 70. You can get the stuff anywhere for
81 % This bill is signed by Chief Crow
ley not as correct, but simply that he re-
ceived the property mentioned.
The Receiving Hospital has bill for
July. the total OF which was $136 20; the
regular price should be $50 10. Nearly
all the articles are outrageously high. The
Nov mbsr bill for the Receiving Hospital
IS 81 81, and it is not yet paid. About
S43 IL would be enough for it. A gallon of
Carron oil is put at So %; it costs so cents.
"a: bill for the Aimshouse IN July was
$50 65. while three druggists offered 10 sell
the same goods for $66 Sc. These are