New-York tribune., 1903-01-05
PRAISES COUNTY CHARITIES.
Visiting Committees Report-Improvements
Noted.

c,ratifcatiou at the many improvements mace IN
the mana cement of the charitable institutions Oh
Ncw-York County supported by and In the nalhe
of the people of the county is expressed IN almost
every line of the thirtieth annual report OF the
New-york County Visiting Committee to the state
Charities Aid Association The members OF tne
committee are independent of official appointments
their expenses are met by voluntary contributors.
Regarding the present organization of the De-
nartment of Public Charities. which has been IN
force since January l. 1902, and that OF Bellevue
and allied hospitals, which has been In force since
February l. 1902, the report says that throughout
both departments there is a higher standard OF
administration than has hitherto obtained. What
ever the relative value of the two systems OF man
agenlent for municipal charitable institutions.
single commissioner or board OF trustees. those
In charge Of both de- Ttments, the report says,
.have shown themselves devoted, conscientious ana
noliticaIlv untrammeled' And further: AS the
Commissioner of Public Charities is an ex officio
member of the board Of trustees, the cooperation
between the two departments which Is essential 10
the best conduct OF both has been easily secured
The report praises Commissioner Folks for open
ing the tuberculosis fnfirmary on BlackWelfs
Island to which all consumptive patients admitted
to the care of the department In Manhattan, The
Bronx and Richmond are now sent directly The
buildings used for this inirmary were left, the
committee says, in extremely bad condition by
the Manhattan State Hospital authorities. The
committee in referring to clothing ward supplies
and to food supplies says that there has been
marked Improvement in the quality and an In
crease in the amount of supplies furnished in the
last year. AS a result of the order issued on jan
uary Is, 1902, by Commissioner Folks, requiring
full report to be made the department by the
superirtendent of any city hospital receiving
patient from another hospital If the patient died
within three days after admission. the number of
patients transferred in a critical condition has
greatly diminished, according to the committees
report The report says that Improvements have
also been made in the city morgue looking to the
prevention of mistakes in the delivery of bodies
and Of favoritsm to certain group of undertakers
known as the 'undertakers' trust "
The report further says: IAN obvious need of
the city is for provision for convalescent pa
tients who are longer in need of hospital treat
ment but are still unable to resume their normal
occupations and have home or friends. Recog
nzing this need. the Commissioner has directed the
retention this class of patients In the hospitals
Of the department for a brief period
Other needs of the department may be sum
married follows:
s'Fxtensive changes In existing buildings to intro
duce modern plumbing, heating and ventilating
systems the construction at various hospitals and
airnshouses of separate buildings for the accom-
mediation of employees; additional almshouse ac-
eommodation and an electric lighting plant
BIackwel's Island for all the institutions located
there
The report once more calls attention to the need
for new hospital to replace the present Bellevue
Hospital buildings.