The Topeka state journal., 1899-05-03
WHO'S TO BLAME?
Here Is Something That Calls
For Remedy.
City Has No Facilities to Care
For Injured.
HEDDERMAN IN A CELL
Old Soldier Hurt by a Train In
City Prison.
Topeka Is Big Enough to Have
H0snitaI Facilities.
HEDDERMAN IN CELL

Lewis Hedderman, who had his hip
broken Monday night by being struck by
a Rock Island switch engine, has been
lying on a mattress in a cell room at the
city jail with little no attention He
has been there two days and nights be
cause nobody seems 10 know what to 90
with him
The police were notified of the accident
and they took the injured man to the po-
evening, expecting 70 keep hIm there for
a snort t151e Until ne e3uId De 44isf tasen e1sez
communicated with but did not think it
Commissioner Hale was called in. but he
SaIvatiou Army hospital was asked to
care for him. but the Superintendent of
the Institution replied that, the man
lived in Brown county, he must pay $3.50
Ne Nsi{hsE Chief Ramsey nor CIT City Physi,
send the man to the hospital at the ex-
pense of the city and SO the injured man
damp floor OF d cell in the city Jail The
officers at the station have made him as
the accommodations TO make him COM
fortable nor anyone to nurse him
city physician and Dr. Peers has looked
after him as best he could, but the man
Many cases of d similar nature happen
just because the city has no hospital and
no arrangements Tor caring 1or injured
people, .ssPE2se ,+- .,,o,,,.z ot., 49,. -o-,,+a,
of its own or arrangements made at some
hospital for the caring for injured peo-
pie SAID city physician Peers some
understanding should be reached between
the city and county officials There seems
70 De no understanding Whatever and the
city tries to have the county take care OF
its injured and the county tries the same
Injured jf De or SICK DO not i rees1e G the med h
ate care they should There is no place
Jured- The city should make arrange
ments with some hospital to care for all
be tzeFen there without delay The way
things are now the police take such per
that that should n 1h be ea' looked after. at Is matter
The city certainly should have some
and injured people," said Chief Ramsey.
There is no suitable place in the city jail
building and believe that the city should
make arrangements with some hospital to
care for all sick and injured people who
city a city ambulance is much needed
headquarters and the patrol team could be
used on both the patrol wagon and the
ambulance with but one more horse The
police are always the first called to care
for an injured person, and for that reason
We should be equipped in good shape to
care for them
If the city needs ambulance we
should have one said Mayor c. J. Drew
I shall look into the matter of hospital
arrangement and see what is needed.
When it comes to q matter of suffering.
expense should not become TOO great an
expense now and must be careful of ex-
penditures: I shall make it a point to
look into the matter at once and see what
should be done
There is too much quibbHng and shifting
Of responsibility among officials People
have been allowed to suffer simply because
the city and county officials could not
agree upon the responsibility There should
be no hesitation Wherever there is suf-
fering it should be the part of the author
tiles to relieve it if possible There is no
time for officials to quarrel about whose
duty it is TO do the work
The city physician IS not adequately
paid for his services, but man like DR..
Peers will not stop 10 bubble over little
things. whether he is paid not What
the city council should do is TO make ar
rangements which will relieve the city
physician from any possible embarrass-
ment. Injured people should be cared for
and their poverty should prove no impede
ment-