The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-05-21
Serious Charges Against City
Hospital Physician
BEFORE THEGRANDJURY
That Body to Be Asked to Consider
Them.
HOSPITALS RULES VIOLATED
That Is One COunt-MaIversatIOn
and Neglect of Duty
Charged.


cism has been directed against the admin
istra-ion of the city hospital by physi-
clans. It has finally reached the stage
of official inquiry. This is now under way
and 1t is expected that the next step
will be an investigation by the grand
jury. or the board of corrections and char
tiles, or both.
The charges thus far made come from
members of the medical profession vitality
interested in the management of the city
hospital, and from present and past at
taches of the hospital and members of the
hospital staff.
They are directed at DR.. E. J. Clark,
house physician of the hospital for the
past two years. Dr. W. ]. Barnes, city
physician, is involved indirectly because
he is the responsible head of the insti-
tuition
The list of charges is a long one, some
of them are of most serious import, and
coming from such an intelligent and re-
sponsible source they constitute a severe
arraignment Of the present city hospital
administration. Here are the leading in
dietments made against DR.. Clark and his
administration of hospital affairs:
What Is Charged.
Extravaganza in the purchase of supplies and
the general management of the hospital.
Violations Of various vital rules of the
institution designed to insure economy Of
operation, correctness Of accounting and fair
and impartial treatment of members Of the
medical profession.
Discourtesy and unprofessional conduct to-
wards members of the hospital staff and out
side physicians having patients there.
Discrimination against a certain school Of
medicine and against certain physicians
Violations Of an inviolable rule Of hospital
practice that physician in charge of a con-
tagious ward shall not take part in surgical
operations.
Violations Of the city hospital rule that
no patient shall be sent TO other hospitals.
so long as there are room and facilities for
caring for them in the institution.
Gross negligence of hospital duties and
Brutality towards patients and attendants
and attaches.
And finally misappropriation Of moneys re-
eeived from private and pay patients in the
contagious ward and otherwise.
DR.. CIark's Duties.
DR.. Clark is a young man approaching
so years of age, a graduate OF the city
hospital and two years ago was selected
for house physician by. Dr.. Byrnes, the
then newly appointed city physician AS
house physician, DR.. Clark has control
of all the internal affairs of the city
hospital under the direction of the city
physician. All the details of management
devolve upon the house physician. He
directs the management of the various
departments, supervises the work of the
internes, who are medical students ap-
pointed to assist in the medical depart
ment of the institution, keeps the hospital
books, takes charge of the effects of pa
tients and collects the pay from those
who are able to meet the expenses of their
treatment.
DR.. Clark is energetic, vigorous in his
methods, endowed with plenty Of conf
dence, carries certain brusqueness in his
manner, and his enemies say is frequent
ly prone to brutal directness." He is a
prime favorite with Mayor Ames, who did
his best last winter to induce the legisla-
ture to give Clark additional rank, re-
sponsibility and emoluments at the hos
pital, and it is said he is slated on July
to take charge of the doctors private
Office and draw the pay Of assistant city
physician.
Origin of the Charges.
The charges made against DR.. Clark in
part date back several weeks and even
months His management of hospital af
fairs has occasioned a deal of talk in
local circles, and in the city and other
hospitals for weeks past, but it is only
recently that any effort was made to
gather the charges into comprehensive
shape and press them upon the attention
of the authorities. They are now about
ready, 1t is said, for presentation to the
board Of corrections and charities and to
the grand jury, If that body cares to take
the matter up Some of the members Of
the board are already in part acquainted
with the substance of the charges against
DR.. Clark, but no move has yet been
made looking to an official investigation
by them. City Physician Byrnes has been
advised, however, to begin an investi-
cation on his own account, and he is now
said to be thus engaged.
Doubt as to Result.
But a good deal of doubt is expressed
among the men behind the movement as
to whether the matter will ever be taken
up by the board, from the fact that Mayor
Ames is securely in control of the boards s
affairs and presumably will be loath to
move. They are fearful, too, that DR..
Byrnes may not go into the subject as
thoroughly as they would like. AS warm
personal friend of Dr. Clark and the
source Of his appointment, he is not in
position. they say, to make an impartial
investigation. Official influence, they ex-
pect, will be exerted to choke off any
action tending to put DR.. Clark under the
fire Of an official investigation outside of
the grand jury.
DR.. Clark and DR.. Byrnes, however, are
not quite as warm friends as they were,
it is said. OF late. Dr. Clark and Mayor
Ames have been practically the whole |