The San Francisco call., 1897-11-18
Would CLOSE
FIVE SCHOOLS
There Is Great Danger Of
Diphtheria Germs
Spreading.
Hospital Expenses Cause Much
Anxiety Among the
Doctors.
They Will Soon Appeal to th'
Supervisors for More Money
for Necessities.

The regular meeting of the Board of
Health was held yesterday morning, at
which there was considerable discussion
relative to the reported inadequacy of the
appropriation for the maintenance of the
City and County Hospital. and several
measures were considered with view of
avoiding much-feared deficit at the end
of the year.
Another important matter discussed
was the closing of several of the public
schools on account of the prevalence of
diphtheria.
The first matter was brought up by DR..
Morse, who said that with the small APP
propriation made by the Supervisors for
the conducting of the hospital economy
was bsolutely neces airy, and he moved
that the superintendent physician devise
ways and means of reducing expenses.
He said that $4,000 year could be Topped
off by abolisEing the training school for
nurses. by consoid ating the wards and
by closing the maternity ward. OF course
tn is will limit the number OF patients that
can be reCe we'd and treated at The hospi-
tal, but some hing had to b. done. He
believed that this course would place the
blame where it belongs-upon the sshoul-
ueTS OI tDe DOdTu Cl OupeTNlSOrS
The first movement on these lines was
to cut down the mum ber Of internes In the
hospi ai and those selected Ito leave were
w. l.. Dunn, L. Rea and +. A. Mcmahon.
The first sign of opposition to The motion
OF DR.. Morse was by DR.. Hart, who said
that the train!ng-school or nurses was
most necessary feature OF the hos pital
work, and was of itself a means of
economy. He did not believe in saving
N oney in this way.
DR.. Williamson took the same view and
aided that be would never give his vote
10 closing the maternity ward, for it would
be the means of throwing many poor
women out upon the charity OF the word
at a time when they were most in need of
help. Dr. FitZgibbons shared the same
views as some OF the others and said that
he would rather see the hospital closed
entirely than that the board should Grip
pie the most I'M pOriant work OF the lnsIi-
tuition. He wants the blame 10 fall where
it belongs, on the Supervisors. AS the
onicome of the discussion 1t was decided
that tue best that can be done is 10 make
an appeal to the Supervisors TO be more
liberal in their allowance to the hospital
1und.
The report OF Chemist Wenzell showed
tha: there are no germs OF sease in the
water furnished by the Soring Valley.
The odor comes from the decayed vegeta-
tion.
Health Officer O'Brien reported that
there is no increase In diphtheria in this
city, but that the recent practice OF the
physical ms OF reporting every case has led
many to believe that the disease is gain
Ing. However, he said, there is still
Ganger OF he disease spreading if some
decided action is not taken. Therefore,
he recommended that the following pub
lie schools be closed: Haieht Primary
Starr hing Primary, Franklin Grammar
Stanford Primary and Longfellow Pri-
mary. His advice was approved, and it
was decided to com mmunica to the Board
OF Education the recommendation of the
Board of Health.