Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-13
SCENT APPROACHING SCANDAL
County Commissioner Have Reason for
Making Hospital Rules
THEY FIND DISCIPLINE is LACKING
guperintendent Oest is Given Power
60 Assert His Authority and f.
Expected TO stop Disgrace
full Proceedings.

The county hospital is made the exception
b a sweeping application OF board rule, de-
bided upon yesterday morning by the county
commissioners. The entire board voted In
support Of the Connolly resolution rescind-
ths the resolution Of February IA last plac-
ing the control OF the various departments
IN the hands OF the heads thereof. The
affect OF this is the restoration to the board
Of the express right to hire and fire"
minor employees, which right has been,
since the February action. supposed to ex-
Est In such minor employees immediate
superiors.
In making an exception Of the county
poor farm and hospital the commissioner
bave been Obliged to concede that disci-
pline has been lacking there and that there
have occurred things that must be pre-
vented from repetition in the future II the
Institution Is to be saved from scandal.
ostrom has accordingly introduced and
che other members have voted for a set Of
rules which Superintendent Oest is spe-
eihcally authorized and instructed to
follow.
County Hospital Rules.
The first OF these gives the superin-
tsndent and matron exclusive control of all
inmates and employees of the institution.
Aht bcCOuu ISluAItS ludJ luo ltlnhlS uSlp
be roomed in one part Of the building and
The male in another. The third makes it
the duty Of the superintendent to dismiss
and appoint a successor for any employee
who shall disregard his or the matron's
orders, the appointment to be acted on
later by the board. The fourth stipulation
r. that no employee shall carry keys to any
ward except the one in which his or her
duties are performed. The fifth gives the
superintendent, matron, doctor and drug
stst sole power 10 carry the key to the drug
department. The sixth demands that all
Inmates who are physically able shall assist
in keeping the institution clearly. The
seventh empowers the doctor to supervise
the work OF the nurses as far as caring
for the sick is concerned. The eighth in
structs the superintendent to summarily
discharge any employe who appears on the
premises drunk.
Some in Circulation.
In explaining the necessity for thus
specifically stating requirements that
might be supposed to be common law, one
Of the commissioners said:
II guess there is no use denying that Mr..
Oest, the superintendent Of the place, mas
been afraid to assert his authority over
those employees who have patron saints on
the board and the purpose now is to let
him know that We expect him to run the
place as 1t should be and that he will have
support enough II 1t comes to a test Of
strength. The rumors and reports that
have reached our ears from reliable sources
are such that we simply have to call q
sharp turn in the trend Of affairs. Within
q week l have heard that one Of the nurses
was found In a room occupied by one OF
the male employees at 8 a. m. when the
matron went to call her, and that another
was found one evening playing cards with
some colored men In a ward occupied by
the latter.
Tapping h Liquor supply.
Some OF the others are reported to have
4 found a way to tap the liquor supply in
the drug department and others to be
neglecting to insist on some Of the men
oxpectorating with more discrimination
and good aim while indoors. The reports
Of INSTRUMENTATION have been too frequent
TO keep count of, and always 1t is at
tributed to some member OF the board who
10 accused of going out there and fostering
] contempt for the superintendent. That's
why the board puts itself on record thus.
A. W.N-g 3D. M OK II u.I NJ