Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-25
Physicians Custom Censured
by DR.. Warfeld.
FREEDMAN'S HOSPITAL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUR
GEON IN CHARGE.
Increase in Volume Of Work Done in
Every Department Of the
Institution.

The annual report of the surgeon in
charge Of Freedman's Hospital, Dr. w. A.
Warfield, has been forwarded to the Secre-
tary of the Interior. In his annual state
ment DIR. Warfield discusses the condition
of affairs in the hospital. the work during
the past year. and what 1t hopes to &C
complish with the new buildings authorized
by the last Congress-. He makes some per-
tinent suggestions regarding the manage
ment Of the hospital and its relation to the
government. He criticises the custom of
physicians sending dying patients to the
hospital, as follows:
Physicians Criticised.
'In noting the deaths in the institution
1t will be observed that the greatest num-
Der prevails on the medical side: but It
should be remembered in this connection
that many are moribund and far beyond
medical aid when admitted. twenty-five
were In this condition. and died within
twenty-four hours after entering the hos
pital: Is died within forty-eight hours. /
recall three cases where death occurred be-
fore the patients reached the ward.
In many instances these patients do not
come to the hospital from choice. but upon
the advice OF their attending physician, who
either wishes to keep his mortality record
low or whose interest in the patient lags
when there Is no further pecuniary benefit
in sight. In either case 1t Is an fnhuman
practice which seems to be on the increase.
If the transportation of patients to the hos
pital in this condition contributes nothing to
hasten the hour of death 1t certainly adds
nothing to their comfort and no benefit Is
secured by their admission into the hos
pital at SO late a period Of their disease.
The Hospital Work.
During the period covered by this re-
port there has been an increase in the vol
ume Of work in every department of the
hospital. with results that exceeded the
most sanguine expectation. There have
been more patients treated in the hospital
and dispensary than during any previous
year of the existence of the hospital.
This increase of work has been cheerfully
met by all officers of the hospital, especially
the clerk, who has been required to work in
his Office early and late, Sundays and legal
holidays not excepted.
1.-The total number Of patients received
into the hospital was 2.677, Of which num-
crease of 269 over last year. OF the num-
Der admitted, excluding the births. 4OS had
lived in the District Of Columbia less than
one year and may be regarded as non-res-
idents. but whose condition was such at the
time OF their application for admission that
it would have been inhuman to have denied
them treatment
1.-THE number Of out-patients treated in
the ulSpenSdIy WAS O,&Oo, Dis d6diuSt o,oot
during the preceding year. an increase Of
S62. Ten thousand six hundred and five
prescriptions were compounded in this de-
partment alone. and Lila revisfts were
made. The whole number Of patients treat
ed in the hospital and dispensary was 9.04S.
divided as follows: 264 white males. rs
white females: APO colored males. 4,476
colored females.
Heavy Surgical Work.
THE surgical work has been heavier than
in any previous year; $40 operations were
performed. a large number of which were
of major character. There were six
deaths in this department. exceedingly
small number when all things are consid-
cred. most OF these occurring weeks after
the operation.
"One thousand three hundred and fifteen
examinations were made in the pathological
and twenty-five post-mortems
were performed. 1t is in this line of inquiry
that practical results OF great benefit to the
general good Of the service have been ac-
In the matron's department 2,152 articles
were manufactured, many of them being
made necessary by the old. broken and
worn-out laundry machinery.
AT the last session of Congress provision
was made for the construction of a new
Freedmen's Hospital building and Access
series in the sundry civil act approved
March 3, 1903.
A Single Head. 3
Lack Of suitable buildings has long
Handicapped the progress OF the work here;
the law. however. as 1t now stands in re-
gard to this new hospital further compli-
Gates the management; instead Of unifying,
1t multiplies. dual management Is bad