The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-28
DIR. NUNS STATEMENT.
The Relation of the City to the Va
riOus Hospitals.

The Relation of the City to the Va
riOus Hospitals.
DIR. R. ]. Num-, when called upon by AL
derman Dixon, said he was not present
for the purpose Of saying anything. He
discussed the question, however, In the
light of his experience.
There are two points of view, the econ
omic, or the spending of the money in the
best possible way, and the other the med
ical point of view, he said. The discussion
would of necessity go back number of
years. 1t will not be denied,
he said, that the medical profession
of Savannah occupied a much higher stand
fifty years ago than it does to-day. This
is not the fault of the physicians them
selves. Their faculties, if anything, have
improved, but the opportunities have been
lessened. Formerly all the charity prac-
tice of the city was done by the profession
generally. For some reason the work OF
caring for charity patients was placed in
the hands of city physicians who now do
practically all this work. Savannah once
had a well supported medical journal 1t
has one now, but many of the contributors
are nonresident. The thing to be sought
for, DIR. Num- said, is TO bring the whole
profession up to a higher standing. The
city could well afford to spend $4,000 or
$4,000 a year for this purpose.
Dr. Num- said that the st. Josephs.
the Georgia Infirmary and the Telfair Hos
pital are all private institutions, man.
aged by trustees, and the city has no
right to dictate how they should be man
aged The Savannah Hospital is upon
a different basis, he said. 1t IS con-
trolled by a board of managers elected by
the supporters of the institution, and any
citizen has the right to pay $40 and cast
his vote. This being the case, he said the
city certainly has a right to have some
voice in the management since it con-
tributes largely to the support Of the in
stitution.
Mayor Myers said he had looked up the
history of the Savannah Hospital and CALI
ed upon Clerk Bailey to read the follow
ing sketch:
ut is 1 believe, nearly 100 years ago
since persons in Savannah of charitable
disposition conceived the idea of establish
ing a poor house and hospital where the
distressed and sick, with little or no
means, might be provided for. Funds to
that end were subscribed by different par
ties and in 1904, | learn, the Legislature
passed an act providing for a lottery for
the purpose of aiding the funds for this
worthy Object 1 find that in 1908 joint
memorial was presented to the Legislature
from the Mayor and aldermen of the city
of Savannah and the justices of the in
ferior court of Chatham county asking for
the incorporation of the Savannah Poor
House and Hospital Society This memo
rial stated that the object of the society
was the establishment and maintenance of
an establishment for relieving the 'eondi-
ton of the poor sick and infirm of all
descriptions whom Providence may cast
upon their protection To enable il to
carry on this work the Legislature char
tered the society. 1t was then provided
that any person paying into the treasury
of the company the sum of $40 annually
should become member of the
CORPORATION and have the right to vote in
the election of managers. Subsequently,
l believe, this amount was reduced to five
dollars, and later the amount was again
raised to ten dollars, at which ii now
stands In 1915 the state again provided
for a lottery for the special purpose of
raising $4,000 for the institution, and in
1919 1t made an appropriation Of 5000 to
H. The city also made donations 10 it, on
one occasion / believe, donating two or
more lots of land to It. In 1872 the char
ter was amended so that the words Poor
Hotlee'' were dropped and the corporation
sinnDly became the Savannah Ho'ptsI
such l believe Is a brief summary OF the
history of the hospital. ! merely give this
outline 10 show It's public character, The
Fact that its original design, unchanged,
"a Car as any alteration In It's charter Is
concerned, was to provide for the poor
sick and distressed, and that from It's be-
ginning the idea has apparently been that
Il should derive It's support from the char
itably inclined and be devoted TO helping
those whom fortune had left unable 10
care for themselves. There has been no
Intention that IL should ever be considered
or become IN any respect private inatl-
tuition"
Dr ~. X. cofbln said that Council eel
dom had brought before 4 question Of