The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-10
THBPRBBDMAN'S HOSPITAL
Annual Report Submitted to the
Secretary of the Interior.

References Co the Surgical aud Med
icnI Work nj the Institution-A
New building Capable of Housing
All of the Wards Recommended
The report of the Freedman's Hospital
to the Secretary Of the Interior for the
fiscal year ended June 30. 1901. has just
been issued Tn, report is not So volu-
minous. owing To the fact that the act
ing surgeon-in-chicf. DIT. w a. WarfeId,
since promoted to the office Of surgeon
in-chief haC only been in charge OF the
hospital FOR one month at the time Of its
compilation. DIR. Warfeld. in his letter
to the Secretary Of the Interior, says:
The very brief period during which the
] entire work of the hospital has been un-
( der my supervision has not afforded me
sufficient opportunity 10 collect and for
mulatc the necessary data usually en-
bodied in the annual report Of this inSti-
tuition / have been In charge of the hos
Ultdl less than one north. and have been
compelled To- continue the executive and
prof SSi0u8i part Of the general work
mere Just at the point where my predc-
cessor, DR. A. NJ Curtis. left or This
sudden widening Of the field Of my duties
has left me but little time for collecting
material for this report
The general work of the hospital dur
] ing tnc past year has been conducted
J along the lines indicated in our last an
uual report, and with but few executions
l the officials and employees OF the hospital
nave rendered faithful and efficient serv-
Ice IN the discharge Of their duties But
! IL mas been a matter of quite frequent
/ comment that the surgical work of the
hospital has been permitted 10 develop
/ At the expense OF the medical
| This fact has been made apparent by
/ the increased per cent Of loss IN medical
! cases and by the facility with which the
] needs tho surgical 7fr -fr ont
I satisfied while those Of the medical de-
partment were often UNDECIDED.
| This situation hindeTs the progress Of
I the general work I'm the hospital. and
| lhWartS its development along cOmpre-
hsusive and practical lines. In my Opin-
/ ION neither Of these branches OF the hos
pitdl work should be allowed 10 grow at
/ the expense of the other both should be
/ developed together and provided with
/ equal facilities
J The whole number Of patients received
J into the hospital represents an increase
I OF only eight over the number received
I during the previous year. while the whole
/ number trea-id in the hospital and out
1 patients department 10y the hospital corps
{ during the past year represents "A decrease
} OF 81 from the total number treated dur
Z ing the preceding year
The out-patient cases represent those
I who come 20 the hospital Tor treatment
| at the various clinics and then return 10
{ their homes Immediately, and the de
I crease In the total number of cases
/ treated is due TO the decrease in jhe num-
] Der Of Out-patieut cases.
/ The temporary character of my pres
. eut position here suggests TO me the m
. pToprety Of attempting any cOmprehen-
9 siye recommendation concerning any
change In the policy OF personnel OF the
hospital but, on the other hand, the very
urgent needs OF the hospital impel me
TO call the attention of Jhe department %
. them.
. OF a new building large enough To gather
all the various wards Of the hospital UNI
der single roof. and equipped with all
me needed appliances OF modern hos
pltaL This need has been straDglv pre-
scented 70 the department by every sur
geDr-in-chief for the past ten years, and
its urgency grows stronger and the ne
cessity more apparent year by year. The
most casual inspection Of the present
buildings viii disclose their utter unfit
ness Tor the successful work Ui the hos
pltaL They are old. antiquated frame
structures, difficult TO heat. troublesome
20 yertllate. and Inaccessible
Another pressing need IS that Of "a
large boiler In the engine room Those
now In use are of "a very ancient type and
nave been already cor1emned by the Dis
trlct authoritieS- new horizontal tubu-
lar boiler could easily Do he work Of
both the old boilers. and In "A far more
efficient and satisfactory manner.
we are in need OF new ranges in the
culinary department, those iu use an pres
ent being UNIT for service and beyond
repairs
Another need is that Of a new laundry
outfit. The present apparatus I'm use Is
old. worn out. weakened by fredueut re-
pairs, and wholly Inadequate for efficient
service.
"The appropriation for the present fs-
cal year viii not admit OF these rrLairs
and extra needs, and ! urgently recon-
mend that am appropriation Of $500 De
asked OF Congress. which sum would
place facilities at our disposal that would
greatly enlarge the usefulness Of tine hos
Titdl. Increase the efficiency Of its ser
vice. and reduce the unnecessary labor Of
It's officers and employees.
y would recommend that the number
~ lnterues be Increased from four 20 six.
since the stress Of labor upon those now
IN service makes too great "A demand uDon
their time % DE consistent With efficient
professional service.
The hospital during the past year has
not. ] regret 10 say. received from all Of
the visiting stan that attention and help
. which the needs Of the institution de
. mauGed. But since this stan is composed
. Of physicians who nave achieved success
IN their several lines Of professional
Work, and who ar expected TO serve the
hospital without pay. this observation is
submitted more as the statement Of a fact
than as the making Of a criticism. II is
hoped that "A beneficial change in this re
spect viii De worked out in the near fu-
ture
During the pas year a change was
mace N the management Of the Training
school Tor Nurses, and that department is
now under better discipline the marked
results Of which appear more distinctly
in the higher standard OF excellence in the
general service of the nurses Further in
formation in regard To the Training School
for Nurses viii be found in the appendix
20 this report"
The report shows the total number OF
patients under care July ], 1900 to have
| been 2 .55L. the total number DISCHARGED
! between that date and July l. 1901 was
Z.4-5. the remainder under treatment at
the latter date being ~ During the wear
5.l4 persons received treatment in the
| medical, surgical. and genealogical
/ branches or the Out-pa tient department
] rms number Includes whit. and =
COlored males. 80 white and 2sl culorad
/ females. The rcVIsiJs 20 this department
! numbered 1921. there We're s f73 prescrip-
lions compounded. 4Jf emergency cases at
tended, and so operations performed. The
total number of patients treated in both
/ hospital and dlspensary was S25G
Delayed by a TyphoOn.
| The QUaTteTmaster General was today
informed that the transport Meade left
Y. Il 49,