Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-16

laboratory and an additional operating
room, then contact infection could be alb
solutely controlled. There should also be
put in a telephone communication between
the main office and the wards, AS these are
now scattered about the grounds, and In
emergencies much valuable time Is lost In
communicating with the officers within the
hospital. and officials in the city who have
business frequently in the hospital. Teie-
phonic communications should also be put
in between the ambulance building and
the police headquarters, SO that calls could
be made direct to the driver in the ampu-
lance house. These convenienceS, when at
hand, often save a human life, or In some
way turn the point in an emergency, and
the cost would be trifie compared with
the valuable service performed.
ut is believed that the various changes
in the methods pursued at the hospital
have given the institution a more advan-
tageous position before the community.
The idea of being cared for at the Freed
mems Hospital seems to have lost some
of it's responsiveness with the better class
of people, and this class seems more and
more to appreciate the fact that as our
facilities and methods improve, the dis
tinction between this institution and SIM
liar ones IT. the District disappear cor
respondingly This is the test Of public
approval of policy of liberality toward
the hospital. The demand for admission
to the hospital, from the most intelligent
of our citizens, those who are willing and
able to pay for medical and surgical serv-
ice, has been very large-as much as eight
thousand dollars could have been collect
ed from patients, for such attention as
they wanted and would have willingly
paid for. The expense Of conducting the
hospital would not have been increased,
and the amount received from these pa
TENTS could have gone toward the sup
port of the hospital or form a nucleus of
a building fund. l recommend that some
provision be made for pay patients.
Should BE Under Federal Control.
"As already stated the hospital is ma
tional institution, and as such should be
kept under control of national officers, who
are responsible directly to the national gov
eminent, and should not be put under the
authority of private parties, whether mas
QUerading under the guise Of corpora
ton OF openly asserting personal prerng-
alive. This observation is ELECTED by he
renewal during the past year OF the Ell
forts on the part Of some person In this
city to induce Congress to take the over
sight and management OF the hospital out
of the hands of the Department of the
Interior and place this authority In the
hands Of an incorporated body OF private
citizens, acting on their own responsibility:
''They offer to the government no reiie1
from the duty of providing all the funds
necessary to run the hospital, but they are
ready to take charge of affairs, including
the government funds. and set up sort OF
autocracy of their own. This proposition
was made without reason and defended
without logic, and doubtless will be treat
ed as it deserves to be at the hands OF the
national legislators.
Since my last annual report, the en-
ployes of this hospital, professional and
Industrial, have been placed under the civil
service law, and 1 believe that the change
tends to promote the efficiency of the work
done by the employees. Those on the roll
row have given faithful and competent SER
vice, and with the record maintained. the
present force will prove sufficient for pres
ent needs. cannot close this report with
out acknowledging my obligations to the
several officials, both at the departments
and at the Commissioners Office. with
whom l have had official relations, for
their uniform kindness and promptness in
dispatching the business presented to them
by me, and thus aiding materially In the
conduct of affairs of this hospital"
tabulated statement is submitted with
the report showing the number and char
acter of cases treated at the hospital dur
ing the year, and such other statistical
data as will be needed to complete the OFF,
cial records of the hospital.