New-York tribune., 1901-02-09
i DOCTORS Alta CK BELLEVUE
COMMISSIONER KEEL :.R SAYS MONEY is
NEEDED To REMEDY ABUSES
COMPLAINED OF.

John W. Keller the Commissioner of Charities
yesterday expressed anr"[ance on account Oh
report which he had received from the Bellevue
Hospital Medical Board. 1t was the second report
he had received from the Board within fortnight.
He had rejected the first and asked for another.
The second report deals severely with the man
agement Of the hospital. 1t was drawn IN by a
committee of five physicians Of the Medical Board
and one OF the physicians said Yesterday that X
contained the substance Of the first report with
some phrases to which the Commissioner had OBJ
iected eliminated.
The report finds fault with the reception office OF
the hospital declaring that il lis utterly made
quate to the demands made upon it. At present
there are from two hundred to three hundred sp-
piicants for admission daily. and from sixty to
hundred of these admitted 10 this hos
pital." II further declared that the positions OF
the reception rooms ARE such that they are badly
ventilated and poorly lighted. and their construc-
ton is such that both must be accommo-
dated in the same general admission ROOM and
here the sober the intoxicated, the very sick and
even those who are fatally injured must also be
received" Better quarters for the reception Office
strongly recommended.
As to the nurses employed i'm the insane pavilion
the report says that lin the opinion of the commit
tee male pupil not fitted for the care
Of the insane
A closer supervision of the alcoholic ward by the
visiting physicians is recommended and then the
report deals with the dispensary in the following
The disDensarv has always been one OF the most
difficult problems in the management OF the hos,
pta During 1900. 72,29 new paJents were @ teaIed a
and 1I66f7 visits by patients, old ana new, WeIe
received this dispensdry. AT the present @ lIIIe
there direct supervision except OF iuC91
casual kind. Those left in charge are unlit o
in such a position and there is genera 1 IaAICS
OF discipline and observance OF all rueS tndt ma
il a tumble of good and bad service IL can @ uSS'
be described as being in state 0t ViGIHI cD make il
and only the most radical measures IN '' -
anything but a discredit to the institution
Lack of proper food for recovering patients Is
complained Of The report declares that the paid
.help' of the hospital are Of little service parity
because Of the poor pay OF such employees ana
partly because of the filthy dormitories IN whieh
they sleep.
Commissioner Keller yesterday MADE the ioio"-
ing comments on the report;
The Medical Board complains of certain CON
ditions which exist or have existed at BelIeNue as
we all have known. hut money IS heeueu 70
these conditions. New wards, a ne" Ie$cPS'SSli -
Once and a new administration building calliot oe
had without q large appropriation Ior the PuIRose
The Medical Board and / have been dolnS an we
cou q 10 improve conditions as far as We COuu WIZ
the facilities hand and DR.. stewart nas 'aSsn sn
hold and getting the best possible service Win
The members Of the Medical Board are very
much In earnest, but cannot make
good thing out of Bellevue without new buldhss
Then. the service Is further crippled py Iack OF
money. We cannot give as good tood ana ser We
at an average cost of 81 II day per capita as the
New-York Hospital can give at cost OF y w. anu
the PRESBYTERIAN Hospital at s. IL
The Medical Board is right in asking Tor new
buildings. and for better remuneration FOR the
heIn and / viii have get the money. For IN
stance it could be secured by act OF the Legls-
lature.