The Washington times., 1903-10-30
SUSTA|NS ATTACK ON
EMERGENCY HOSPITAL
Board of Charities Reports
on Its Investigation.
B0ARDMAN MAKES REPLY
Charges That Criticism Is Actuated
by Animus-Implicates Com
missioner West.

The Board of Charities. through the
Commissioners of the District. has made
public it's report on the recent investi-
cation into the conduct OF affairs at the
Emergency Hospital or the many
charges upon which the board makes
report, those rejecting upon the moral
atmosphere OF the institution are sus-
tained. while charges of financial lrregu-
iarities and general abuse and neglect
of patients are not substantiated
In conclusion the report urges that in
the interest of proper management and
effective discipline, authority and re-
sponsibility should not be divided and
there should be a permanent RESPONSE
bic head resident In the hospital. with
authority over all of its departments,
and who should be held strictly account
able TO the board of directors for it's
entire management. AS the amount
contributed by the Government is prac-
tically 20 per cent of the entire support
of the institution. as in this case. the
board thinks it would seem only proper
that the Government should have sub
stantial. If not entire. control, instead of
the institution remaining purely pri-
vate corporation. as at present.
Comment in Two Cases.
In commenting upon one or two par
ticular cases where abuse of patients
was proven, the report says:
1T is established by the evidence and
Is not denied by anyone that In the
conveying of patients to the hospital in
the ambulance, the doctors have several
times struck the patients over the head
with a rubber bottle weighing a pound.
This bottle is used by the driver for
drenching the horses and hangs in the
ambulance in such way as to be within
convenient reach Of the physician: and
one inferno testified that he thought the
bottle was kept handy for the purpose
OF striking unruly patients.
This practice does not appear from
the testimony to have been authorized
by the responsible authorities of the
hospital. or ever to have come to their
knowledge. 1t is very much to be re-
GREETED. however. that when it was
brought to their notice during the
progress OF these hearings, representa-
tives OF the hospital should have con-
doned. and even defended. the practice
on the ground that patients in the am
bulances Frequently become violent and
attack the doctor, who is then. of neces-
sity compelled 10 defend himself. either
by the use of his fists, or of some such
convenient weapon as is furnished by
this bottle-and its use has even been
approved as being, under the circum-
stances. one of the most humane meth
DDS of subduing a patient
The board cannot believe other
than that the cases are very rare in
which a resourceful and humane ply
stefan could not control an ambulance
patient without striking him; and to
meet such rare cases. means can GER
tainiy be devised other than to leave #
70 the doctor to protect himself by a
counter attack on the patient.
The same statement applies. with
even greater force, to those cases. as
shown BY the evidence-and not denied
IN which turbulent patients. in the hos
pital building itself. have been struck
by the resident physician in attendance.
The defense that here also the ply
sician has frequently to resort TO blows
in self-defense does rot impress the
board favorably.'
Mr.. BoardnIan's Statement.
w. J. Board-nan, in : statement given
to the press today answers the charges
brought against the management OF the
Emergency Hospital BY DR.. H L. F.
Johnson, and practically substantiated
by the report OF the Board OF Charities
made public late yesterday afternoon
Mr. Boardman declares animus IS APP
parent in the controversy and attributes
the action of certain "refOrmers' e
other reasons than the better admins
tration Of the institution
As president OF the hospital, Mr.
Boarcman has made n statement cover
ang moro than 300 printed pages. This
pamphlet is entitled: In Defense OF th'
Emergency Hospital"
Mr.. Boardman declares that although
the charges made by DR.. II. /. r. John
son, and practically substantiated b.
the report Of the Board Of Charities
were made To DIR. johnson while a mem
Der OF the board OF directors OF tn
hospital DR.. johnson never made an,
comp laint TO the board of which he wa
a member.
Ulterior Motives Alleged.
Mr. Boardman seems 10 imply that tn
charges were inspired by Interior mo
tives. He says:
$50 obvious and imperative was sue
obligation. that equally obvious IS n
fact that for some purpose other tina
that OF correcting any mismsnagemer
OF the hospital. II any existed. was IN
extraordinary course OF FIRST asking fc
an investigation by public ofiicials.''
Commissioner West is the only men
Der Of the board OF Commissioners o
the District who is also a member of tn
board Of directors of the hospital VIVA
is regarded as a most significant chars
IS made by Mr. Boardman in this cor
nection He says:
Prior TO ordering this investigation
notwithstanding the injury which mui
result to such an institution by II
mere Issuing of such an order. no Il
quiry was made by the Commissioner
who. IL appears from the evidenc
caused the issuance of said 0rder-of
single officer OF the hospital Except
the one who flied the charges to asce
tain whether there existed, or not, al
grounds therefor.
Long a Member of Board.
Such omission is accentuated by Il
fact that said Commissioner had be-
for seven or eight years a member
the board OF directors Of said hospIts
and had prior to the issuance OF sa
order. acquired clear and positive know