The San Francisco call., 1901-10-31
.FR|zELL MAKES
SOME CHARGES
Says ST. Elmo Hospital
Affairs Should Be
Investigated.
Late Resident Physician De-
clares Patien ts Are
.Mistreated.

Although only in effective operation for
six weeks and with license from the
State Board of Lunacy Commissioners
only a week old, the st. Elmo Hospital
at Eighteenth and Douglass streets, has
come into an undue share of notoriety.
After the discharge of DIR. J: F. Frizell,
the resident physician; three nurses and
male attendant, tales are being told of
the treatment accorded patients that do
not reflect credit upon the management.
DR.. Frizell left the hospital yesterday
morning with his wife and Misses Crap,
Brannan and Read, nurses, and Edward
Smith, a male attendant. DR.. Frizell,
acting as spokesman, has unburdened
himself of the grievances of the party.
The doctor and his wife have undertaken
to care for the employees who left with
them until such time as they can procure
other places. The physician said yester-
day:
am going to bring this matter to the at
way patients are treated there is disgrace.
S. P. Blumenberg who was connected with the
Hotel Nymphia, and runs so-called dispen-
sary Pine street, near Kearny, is the head
of the affair. although Alexander Murdoch is
About ten days ago DIR. Hatch, accompanied
by Blumenberg and Otteman Stevens, came out
| and inspected the institution Everything was
arranged for their benefit and when Dr. Hatch
saw my diplomas which were displayed in the
cate. which bears date Of October 2s Since
that time the trouble has commenced.
Here is one case where the law should step
in. Mrs T. Schnerr of 1880 n street. Sacra-
msnto' Irs has has daughter in in the institution for
woman given a room on the lower floor.
| AS soon as the mother left the daughter was
| placed in a room in a corner of the top floor
and left there without a bed or mattress. Her
mother has been notified and is expected down
There is also the eF case Of % Wee 81
t OF age. who is dying from cancer. One Of
these nurses saw Miss Dugan and Superintend-
! ent Murdoch slap her in the face. She COM
! planned and begged to be taken away, or else
allowed to die in peace.
you ought to see the food they give
the PATIENTS chimed in the nurses in
chorus. 1--WE would not take it to them
! sometimes, it was so bad"
! Miss Dugan, who has been but four
/ or five months in the business, put up
all the medicines until l stopped her.
said DR.. Frizell. "None of these nurses
nor myself have been paid since we went
! there, although one or two of the girls
were specially engaged to take care of
the insane patients. The statement is
untrue that any one of the nurses left
the French Hospital on account of the
! trouble, although Miss Crap was en-
/ ployed there during that time
Superintendent Murdock was very reti-
cent when approached about the matter
| yesterday He said:
/ 1t Is true that L owe the nurses some money,
and guess that 1 ought to nay them don't
! owe DR.. Frizell cent, for he going to
| work for three months for nothing and then
we were going to see what he was worth.
AS to who constituted the Board of Di-
rectors Murdock said he could not tell
'I have put some money into the insti-
tution,'' he said, NEARLY all l have 1
think John Russell, at present at San
Jose. and w. G. Mccarthy, whose where
bouts 1 do not know, is another one.
will have to refer you to the articles of
Incorporation for the others"
AS to Blumenberg's connection with the
Institution Murdock was as lily advised
although he admitted that Dr. Bussing
the new resident physician, had been en-
ployed by Blumenberg at his Pine-street
establishment.
Murdock has been employed at various
times at Agnews and the Oregon State
Asylum ward attendant and night
watchmah and has had similar experience
in English and Scotch asylums. He says
he telephoned yesterday to DR.. Windele
informing him of the trouble. as he court
ed investigation, but was unable to reach
him. Murdock says he did this on the
belief that he was the proper man, al
though he is merely a local examiner of
| the insane.
Murdoch admitted that number of pa
tients had been removed from the asy
lum yesterday and expected more to go
! at once. A new corps of nurses was in
stalled Yesterday.