Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-23
Their Management Inquired Into by
the Congressional Committee.
GEN. STERNBERG'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Dr.. Williams Gives the History of
the Freedmen's Hospital.
A QUESTION OF POLITICS

After The Stars report Of the charities
hearing closed yesterday Surgeon General
Sternberg discussed the rules relating to
hospitals, which have been adopted by the
Medical Association of the District. ex-
planning their bearing and application. DR..
Sternberg said 1t was the growing opinion
among medical men that the system of free
dispensaries is becoming an abuse which
should be restricted. 1t was an evil that
called for some remedy. He recommended
requiring the commissioner of charities to
inspect the dispensaries and hospitals ard
see that unworthy cases are not taken in.
He thought wards for minor contagious dis
eases might be provided in the hospitals.
He saw no reason for maintaining a sep
arate hospital for minor contagious dis
eases, the staff of which would be idle
large part of the time. The Providence
Hospitals wards for contagious diseases,
he said, were safe enough for all ordinary
cases.
The Homeopathic Hospital.
Mr.. Charles Lyman, president of the
board Of trustees of the Homeopathic Hos
pital, then testified, telling of the organiza-
ton of the hospital He said the govern
ment's appropriation does not pay the full
cost of maintenance of the hospital and
is never used for building or any other
purpose. Said that not more than ) per
cent, probably. of the charity patients were
non-residents of the District. There was
no distinction as to color, age, sect or Sex
Of the patients received.
The only classes of patients excluded are
IL curables and ntagious diseases. The
hospital maintains dispensary, which
treated over 1000 patients last year. Eff
forts have been made to confine the treat
ment ID worthy cases. He thought the su-
perintendent of charities could aid in the
investigation of the righteousness of the
cases.
The Freedmen's Hospital.
DR.. Williams of Freedmen's Hospital
said this institution was established origi-
naily by the government for taking care
of the poor and sick colored refugees who
focked into Washington during the war
1t has grown since then to be a well-ap-
pointed modern hospital. He advoc ated
continuing the congressional aid to hos
piials and enlarging supervision by District
of1c:ais. He thought, however that Freed
mems Hospital should remain under the
control of the Secretary of the Interior as
at present. Any attempt to shift the man.
agement would result to the detriment OF
the hospital.
Chairman Mcmillan said that. as the
District of Columbia paid half of the ex-
penses of the hospital. and District Off
Gals disbursed the funds he thought the
hospital should be taken from under the
control of the Secretary of the Interior
and placed in charge of the District Com
missioners.
DR.. Williams said the hospital is now a.
national institution. and should not be
changed. At present the hospital gives
training to colored nurses and doctors,
and he feared this privilege might be taken
away with change of management The
greatest good for the colored people could
lie accomplished by having it, remain q
national institution. :. 81. --
DR. Williams thought contagious diseases
could be handled by providing separate
wards on the hospital grounds.
In the course of his testimony DR.. Will
liams said that INDECENT colored women
come to the hospital for lying-in purposes
many of them from out of town, and when
their children are born allow them to be-
come charge upon the District. Others
take their children back to their homes
and provide for them.
DR.. Charles B. Purvis formerly surgeon
in-ch!ef of the Freedmen's Hospital, agreed
with DR.. Williams that the management of
the hospital should be free from political
control
But the Secretary of the Interior knows
nothing at all about the hospital" added
DIR. Purvis. He thought the District Off
Gals should supervise the expenditures of
this hospital as well as of all Others Dr.
Purvis said the medical societies and hos
pitfalls Of the District shut their doors
against the medical students of Howard
University.
DR.. Purvis criticised the present method
of selecting the doctors at the hospital. and
heid mat the old way was better.
President Rnnkin's Views.
President Rankin Of the Howard Uni
versity was then examined. He approved
the changes made in Freedmen's Hospital.
He said the act of Incorporation of Freed
mems hospital was a movement of the
friends of DR.. Purvis to enable them to
Of hn
kin thought the hospital should be in close
touch with the university, but rot under
its control.
The charge having been made by DR..
furvis that politics enter into the selec-
OF the management of the hospital Senator
Faulkner called upon DR.. Williams TO state
how he had received his apDontmnnt az
surgeon-in-cmef. With great deal Of
modesty and reserve DR.. Williams told the
story. The substance Of it WAS that he
was at the head of large hospital in
Chicago in which the late Secretary Ores
nam was interested. Mr.. Gresham asked
MIN 10 come to Washington and take
charge of Freedmens Hospital DR. VIII
liams at first declined the offer, but upon
receiving an invitation from Secretary
ioke smith to visit the hospital. he came
here and was induced % accept The posi-
ton OF surgeon-in-chief.
Mr.. Lynch's Statement,
When DR.. Williams concluded this ex-
PLANTATION Mr.. John r. Lynch, who was in
the room. asked to be heard. He said he
hoped the hospital would be taken out of
politics. He said that the hospital Is now
in politics. The late Secretary Gresham
had told him that Secretary Smith proposed
TO remove DR.. Purvis from the position of
surgeon-in-chief because he had made par
tisan speeches against him in the campaign
ana secretary Gresham had then recon-
mended Dr. Williams who was a democrat
Are you a Politician" Senator Faulkner
asked DIR. Williams.
i have never taken part in politics." an
every American. have my own ideas. but
l am not politician"
DR.: Purvis took occasion to deny Dr.
Rankin's statement to the effect that DR..
PurVis had incorporated the hospital to
rerpetuate his own authority. This led to
colloQuy over the affairs of Freednen's