The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-13
gyERS SAYS THEYGET ENOUGH
o,,Ius HOSPITALS ARE PAID WELL
FOR THE SERVICE CITY GETS.

CtfF
win BE Made of Paving Petitions.
1,ovor seems Averse to Renting
sbe Claim of SSO0-UnfavorabIe
Action VIII BE Due in a Measure
~ Di1rerences Between Dispensary
pbysicians and Hospital staff.
71avor Myers said yesterday that the
,oations of the Savannah Hospital and
o,ber institutions for the remittance of
having claims will probably be disposed
NJ at the meeting of Council tomorrow
,iobt What will make Councils action
IN This regard particularly interesting is
the resurrection of the alleged opposition
nj staff physicians of the hospital to the
dsfunct St James dispensary. which is
urged by members of the board as a rea-
su for not renting the claims on the
ground that the hospital is not an open
charity.
The assessment for the paving along
.be Drayton street side of the hospital
IS understood to be about $500. The reason
urged for allowing the institution this
amount is that it is public charity. On
tbe other hand the city has taken the
oosition that the endowment OF s., 500 and
the exemption of the property from taxa
non are about as much as it can reason
ably afford to grant.
Things Of the past are believed to be
responsible in a measure for the view
Council seems to take of the petition
The Morning News told Sunday of the
feeling which exists between the staff
physicians of the hospital and those of
the recent dispensary, which, it is claim
ed failed on account of the barriers the
hospital people threw in its way. Alder
man Graham seems to have other mem
bers Of Council with him in the position
he takes that the hospital demonstrated
in the reported actions of its physicians
against the dispensary that it is only
semi-public charity. The issue of the
fight al that time was the refusal of the
hoard of trustees of the hospital to allow
those not members of the medical staff
to treat charity patients. 1t is said that
Il lis doors had been thrown open to all
musicians after the dispensary had been
established, that institution would have
been dissolved. AS any compromise of
this kind was steadfaslly declined how
ever. the dispensary proceeded with its
work until it collapsed under the strong
pressure of opposition.
The ground on which the outside physi-
cans are said 10 have based their claims
10 practice in the hospital are that the
city and the county pay IL an annual
endowment of $780, and for that reason
its doors should be thrown open, not only
Il 10 all deserving patients, but to the physi-
cans Of Savannah as well.
it is now said that the principle for
which the dispensary fought and died will
| be applied to the hospital petition, though
| this is not admitted by members of Coun-
c.l The lengthy review of the differences
which were reviewed in the last caucus
| meeting is said to have caused several
aiermen to change their minds as TO the
justice of remitting the claims. There
promises TO be a lively discussion at to-
morrow nights meeting, as those friendly
10 The hospital are understood to have de-
trmined to clearly present their side, and
as this viii bring on debate, the chances
are for a lively disputation.
The hospital is an institution dear to
all Savannahians," said Mayor Myers,
and it is not the purpose of the City
Council to take any step that will impair
its usefulness to the public. The question
now before the board. and that which is
causing some delay in considering and de-
Gliding on the petitions to remit paving
claims, is whether the city is not already
contributing its quota for the service the
public receives from the hospital. In ad-
dllion TO relieving the property from tax
auon, the city contributes $500 a month
toward its maintenance, which I believe
70 be fully commensurate with the service
! il receives"
How about the feeling which is said to
nave been expressed in Council as to the
t&cluslveness it is claimed prevails in the
medical department of the hospltal?" the
Mayor was asked
Ihls is a feature of the matter, it
seems but it is one do not care to dis
euss' he replied. 81 believe it is claimed
certain physicians used their influence to
stamp out the dispensary, but 1 do not
crhk mat will have any bearing upon
eouneils action on the petition. There
no doubt the board intends to deal
gui'aply with the hospital, but the city
gO's not propose to open the treasury 20
|0e institutions without limit merely
'ause they are charities. Value must
@IecelVed for every dollar that goes out,
aal "nen we pay for what we get, the
u's responsibility ceases"
ny evidence of the interest the Mayor
ldhIhS IN the endowments to charit-
sr, 'lstltuuons he produced an editorial
rno.4.- -'NN toih newspaper, winch COM
.l0l'ed on the demands the hospitals there
Us GAINED to be making upon the city.
tle of the opinion that some of the
~, rbosp I in Savannah have about reached
'I9 unit Of their reasonable demands.
an i@.ehts are admitted into the hospital
t .He certificates of city physicians thar
lI' are unable TO pay their expenses.
rt. 9eI these circumstances they are adj
hr ', . as poor patients, and are treated
~. uie medical staff of the hospital and
IL u'e physicians who commit them.
bo a. justice to the hospital staff 1t should
ga. s1'l tnat the members of it claim the
1e'lence of the institution cannot be
MAN. 1lo.I tained and the same results accom-
r. @eu II all physicians were allowed to
soa charity patients. The outside ply
.c saHs are allowed at the hospital, how
nbi. 10 witness the work of the staff
h cians 1t is said TO be the custom
bo, carry every hospital in the country to
nt.1 an organized medical staff to do hos
s 'l. work. except in The cases of pay
'"'s' VINO select whoever they want
0HHMANIA RANKS DIRECTORS.