The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-03
DIR. Ancker Defended.

To the Editor Of the Globe
-, IN you, your issue Of Saturday, JAN 30, read
an article headed plans to Gust DR.. Ancker
When the Time Comes" The article inter-
esteo me- and, with your permission, l would
IKE to comment upon it. The principal
reasons given why a change of administration
might be desirable were as follows:
First-1t would reduce the running ex-
penses of the institution at least one-third.
Second--The hospital is receiving pay pa
uents at the expense of the city, to the det-
riment of other hospitals and other physi-
clans.
Third-It is for the best interests of all
public institutions to have change Of man
agement every few years.
Ii it IS true that a change Of manage
ment will reduce the running expenses, and
that such a. reduction must be made, who is
so fitted to make that reduction with the
least possible loss Of hospital efficacy as DR..
Ancker himself, who knows every outlay
OF previous expense, what can best be cut
and what must be retainedP 1t seems to me
in that particular alone his Judgment would
be almost indispensable.
DR.. Ancker has given eight Of the best
years of his life to the study and practical
application of hospital regime, has labored
early and late faithfully and conscientiously
to build up city hospital here equal to the
best. How we'll he has succeeded we all
know.
Regarding the charge Of taking unsuitable
patients at the city expense-that certainly
is most unique charge. Since when has a
mans humanity been considered an offense
worthy Of loss of office? Personally 1 am not
a Selby cable to my serious detriment, with
my purse in its normal condition-prlnc1paily
filed with doctors prescriptions, scraps of
poetry and latch KEY should consider
myself providentially protected should l fall
into the hands of a good Samaritan like Dr..
Ancker, who would receive me at his hos
pital trusting my innate honesty, until
should be able to repay the city. 1t is al
ways well for an individual or institution
to err, if at all, ON the side of mercy.
The third statement is: 1T is always wei
10 nho hn man q a
every few years. Now, l am unacquainted
with DR.. D. G. Jones, who is mentioned as
DR.. Anckers possible successor. L dare say
he is an intelligent earnest man-most OF
his profession are. But why, l ask, is 1t
necessary even advisable to supersede
man thoroughly in touch with methods and
| means, with every advantage that years Of
! experience alone can gtve-such man as
DR.. Ancker? Why supersede him with even
| the best of physicians, lacking his training
and study Of hospital management, both at
! home and abroad? Who Of would think
! for an instant of changing our family physi-
clan every eight or ten years for political
reasons, or because some other physician,
perhaps equally as good, needed our fee?
Such a proposition would be considered RI
| diculorAs. Our family physician becomes
! Incorporated with us; becomes almost in
| tuitive to our physical needs The glance OF
the eye, the touch Of the hand, the quickly
| comprehended mental condition of a patient
at once Who like own physician can
! give the atmosphere Of health the moment
! he opens the door, radiating a strong help
! full vital personality, far better than medicine?
| What applies to the home applies also to the
| institution, the hospital, which is, after ALL
| a larger aggregation of individuals, a larger
| family, if you please coming and going as
! occasions require.
| What is true Of the physician in the home
I is true, too, of the physician in the hospital
! Matron, nurses, attendants and patients all
| come in touch with the personality which has
| Incorporated itself there through years Of hard
| work, duties faithfully performed often IN
! der discouragements and unjust criticism
| I have known DR.. Ancker for nearly ten years
and at the risk of ignoring the precedent in
! favor of carefully concealing our apprecia-
| ton of the living for fear we might tighten
! their burden ever so little and so deprive
! them of the full measure of that wholesome
! discipline which theologians claim is the pur-
! pose of our mundane career, will say just
! work of DR.. Ancker, the man. I have seen
! him in the sick chamber, and at the death-
bed. I have known his quick tender SYM
pathy with suffering and loss, even when the
| sufferers were little more than strangers to
| him. know Of his private charities among
| the poor Of this city-never from himself
| but accidentally from the poor whom he
assisted Always enthusiastic in his work.
! honest, upright and manly, standing high
! in his Professionalism could one be found
| who would better All the Office Of hospital
superintendent than Dr. Ancker?