Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-04
DISTRICT SANITARY OFFICE
Operations of the Department During the
Past Fiscal Year.
The Establishment of Hospital for
inehrintes Recommended-sta-
tisticaI Data Supplied.


printer a number of copies of his annual
| report for the last fiscal year Included IN
the report is statement showing the work
of Sanitary Officer Frank. His report EN-
| braces an account of the work done in be-
| half of the sick and otherwise unfortunate
! people whose cases called for official action
The question of transportation is disposed
| of as follows:
While this part of the work consumes
| much time and requires thorough investiga-
| ton, it is the least important of any of the
| duties assigned to this office. Much good
however, has been accomplished and suffer
ing alleviated by sending worthy persons to
| their homes friends
| While L have earnestly endeavored TO
| separate the worthy applicants from the
| lmpostors, great difficulty has been expert
enced in doing SO.
| More than the usual number of prerend-
| ers have sought aid In the way of free
| railroad rides to other cities While cranks
and demented persons continue to visit This
| District for the purpose of having their
| grievances, which are purely ina ginary
| rlghted, but eight unfortunate individuals
| OF this character have made their presence
| known decrease of four as COMPARED
| with the preceding year.
| Furnished With TRANSPORTATION.
| During the year 800 persons were fnr
| nished with transportation to their homes
| or as near thereto as practicable at en- ex-
| penditure of S1,79797, decrease of thirty
SIX persons as compared with 1895 but an
| increase in expenditure of 1914 The in
crease was caused by a number of persons
being sent long distances
| Inc ss9 thus aided classified as fol-
| lows: Males. 631: females. 262: white 7Ja:
co!ored, $40; native born. lis: foreign born
| loi: VI those transported sixty We're OK
Soldlers and sailors, twenty-five less Than
several Of the disappointed and penniless
| soldiers were lured here by the hope of
| procuring immediate action on their claims
| Tor pensions, while others with only imagi-
| nary claims against the general govern
| meht We're ATTRACTED to the CAPITAL bv de-
i!SiFe prospects of securing large gains
ttnn mus u is that many are unwittngly
thrown upon the charity of the District
government. 1t is indeed matter Of Sc
ilous regret that a large number of SOL
dierS who apply for pensions fail to under
stand that Congress has considerably pro-
| Vided for the collection of these eratuities
E1thout the presence of the claimants in
| this city.
During 1888 forty-one oyster aredgers ap-
| peaIed to this Office for assistance after
| Undergoing hardships and being subject 10
! III treatment on vessels engaged in dredg-
| ing Tor oysters, while for the year lust
| closed htty-four applied for aid. The en-
| t,Te h1tE-four We're in such condition that
there was need of Immediate assistance
el,her IN the way of hospital treatment or
transport alton.
While the number of such unfortunates
| Increased, the number of deserted wives de-
creased. The statistics show that in 1885
thirty-n1ne women were deserted by their
| husbands in this city. while during the
| past year there were twenty-eight A de-
crease of eleven.
a.. / respectfully ask an appropriation of
| 1901 "
Other subjects treated by the sanitary Of
f1cer include hospitals, the insane. and am
buIance service Sanitary Officer Frank
! n Itch 1r.tot 81
/ for fnebria ties. His report says:
| IT is well known that the evil of intem-
pcrance exists in this community, and an
| institution for the detention of inebriates
| is greatly needed. l believe that if Con-
! gress creates such Institution, it will
have accomplished work equal in all re-
spects to the most humane and beneficent
l am sure that such an asylum or home
would exert restraining influence"
The Hospitals.
There were 4.0i0 persons sent to the sew
eral hospitals, 900 more than in 1898 MANY
persons made application for hospital treat
ment merely to obtain rest and subsistence,
and IT was necessary for me to carefully
Investigate each case.
1t Is with a sense of high appreciation
that | record that those in charge of the
various hospitals have Invariably treated
this office with the utmost courtesy and
cOnsidera ton. Also permit me to express
appreciation for the valuable assistance
rendered by the Columbian University and
Georgetown University hospitals, recently
established.
The ward for con- a gious diseases at Prov
idence Hospital will soon be completed, and
am sure it will be of valuable assistance
to this community.
There 22S insane persons properly
tried and admitted to the Government Hos
pital for the Insane during the year while
the number provided for in the same insti-
tuition last year was 2t9, a decrease of
Al. My attention is frequently called
to cases of temporary insanity not sub
jects for the ordinary hospital, but whose
condition would scarcely justify their being
sent to the Government Hospital for the
Insane. There should be for such cases a
house or place of detention other than a
station house. l would respectfully renew
my former recommendation that suitable
place be provided for such persons at the
Washington Asylum. My experience from
year to year has convinced that this is
a very important recommended ton, and one
that should meet with favorable considera-
ton.
The Ambulance Service.
The work of this branch of the police
service continues to increase. the number of
calls responded to during the year being
3,079, an increase of 27S. Of the 3,079 runs
made 2S4 were unnecessary, or no service
rendered. thirty-seven more than last year,
l am that much of this unnecessary
work could be avoided if proper discretion
was used by those making the calls.
! again commend the faithfulness and
prOmptness of the drivers, and respectfully
re commend an increase in their compenSa-
ton from $3.50 to 5000 per annum. These
men greatly appreciate your efforts in their
behalf, and hope for your recommendation
for the desired advance in their salary.
l also recommend the purchasing of two
ambulances similar to Nos. and now in
the service, and the appointment of an adj