The San Francisco call., 1897-09-11
CONDEMNS THE
OLD HOSPITAL
The Grand Jury Adopts the
Report Of Its Health
Committee.
Condition of the Buildings Is
Designated as Almost
Criminal.
Work of the Present superintendent
0ommended-A New Hospital
Advised.

The health committee of the Grand
Jury, after having made a thorough in
vestigation of existing conditions at the
City and County Hospital, has rendered
a report condemning that institution as
unfit for the purposes for which it is used
and as menace to the public welfare.
The committee found that the buildings
were erected twenty-five years ago, since
which time the population has increased
to double what it was then, without any
great improvements being made to ac-
com modate an increased nun Der of pa
tients.
In turn each of the departments, as far
as the provisions for the care OF the sick
are concerned, are taken up and con-
demned. The laundry, provisions for the
care OF those suffering from contagious
diseases, surgical instruments, electrical
apparatus, heating appliances, accommo-
daiions TOR the rece ption OF children,
storerooms, tire-escapes-au come in for
share of the roasting.
The blame for the condition of the hos
pital is laid at the door of previous Boards
OF Supervisors for having neglected to
make sufficient appropriations for the re-
pair and maintenance of the buildings,
one portion of the report reading as fol-
lows:
insufficient appropriations for the main
teuance OF the hospital have prevented the
proper repair from time to time of the badly
damaged buildings, and for the same reason
the equipment of the hospital has never been
strengthened. but, on the contrary, has been
allowed to de teriorate into condition nothing
short of disgraceful, if not criminal. We have
found the blankets used oy patients to be COM
pletely worn ut, badly torn, and not sufficient
for the purposes OF warmth. The window
shadeS are dilapldated from years OF use. The
baIhtubs, originally OF inferior make and quail
ity. are discredit to q public charity. The
enamel has been worn and the rough IRON be-
meath laid bare. They are kept clean with
difficulty and are entirely unsuiled for further
use. The plumbing In the closets, although
greatly improved within the past six months,
has never been properly compile ted, and open
soil pines are to be found in several of the
wards and also IN the executive building.
The report concludes as follows:
Your committee is pleased to note the eff
cient work done by the present Board OF
Health under the supervision of DR.. J. NJ.
Williamson and his corps of able assistants;
but notwiths tandlng their desire to make the
place what it should be, ii is a hopeless un-
dertaking 10 patch buildings which have out
lived their usefulness and stand as relics OF
pioneer days. As compared with private insti-
IL lions of modern construction, ii is as night
compared TO day; and in the name of suffer
ing humanity we would demand that ap-
preparation be made sufhcien TO erect proper
buildings where our more unfortunate fellow
being NAV fad q Suits BILE place of refuge in
theil hour of need and distress, and would
recommend that these buildings be erected on
the Almshouse Tract as the most available and
submitted c. II. STANYAN,
LUKE BATTLES,
HENRY S. MARTIN,
Committee.