The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09
city HOSPITALS BETTERED.
navy yypROy EWENTS SECURED
ny PRESENT OFFICIALS.
..,. uu,lJInss for Bellevue and Other
" Hospitals Authorized as Result or
Or. Brannan's Acknowledgements
dams What They should Be, at Last.

ara. John Winters Brannan has done
.ara for The public hospitals Of New York
:" ,Lo eighteen months that he has been
,;,,,nt Of the board Of trustees Of Belle
w., and Allied Hospitals than was done In
,,,, Gears previous, said an authority
,oco hospitals, who has been In close
,o,ch with the work at Bellevue for the last
,,,nrtv years, yesterday. Yet he has
.,,, about his work so quietly and unos-
'e,nt,,io,lsv that few people realize how
,,rd be has worked and how much he has
accomplished
rorvarreur. Harlem and Fordham hos
,,;,als since the board Of trustees took
control IL convincing
IN February, 1902, when the change was
made the board of trustees found sad
,,ndition of affairs. In an effort to make
+, GOOD financial showing, previous adj
Illustrations had cut the appropriations
sor the Department of Charities. which in
,lrd.d Bellevue and the other allied hos
rtals TO the very bone. So skilfully was
i done that acquisitions for hospital sup
Mics had to be cut in half, when the whole
would have been scanty. In one list.
rair Of scissors was cut out. and one scissor
substituted Patients were poorly fed.
EMPLOYEES we're paid less than In other
local hospitals. making it necessary to
employ class of helpers which changed
every month, most Of them remaining just
long enough to get money to move on 10
the next stopping place.
Worst Of all, Bellevue was fire trap,
which only he dispe nsation Of Providence
prevented from being place OF execu-
lion for hundreds of patients During
the first few months of the new admillis-
ration system of fireprOofing was in
stalled, a local fire department organized,
and everything possible done to make the
building comparatively safe IN case OF
lie
BY constant personal effort DR.. Bran
nan convinced Mayor Low, Comptroller
G.out and the Board OF Estimate OF the
needs Of the hospital, and the appropria-
ions have since been sufficient for the
'eeds The pay of the employees 10 all
departments was increased and atten-
ton was then paid toward getting suit
aba quarters for them. They had been
herded together in easements which were
poorly ventilated and severed, and re-
Cpived no Inducements to remain with
The hospital any length of tims. The board
IL trustees fin lily secured an appropria-
ion Of about $4,000 for the remodelling
Of the old Medical c llege building AZ a
dormitory for employees and, in few
weeks the $50 women employees will have
!arge, clan rooms, equipped with all con-
veniences and communicating with light
airy sitting rooms.
Realizing the need Of new hospital build
ings to replace those at Bellevue, in Har-
lem and Fordham. DR.. Brannan set upon
task which seemed almost impossible OF
success He wanted S3,000,000 for a new
B,ll,vue and $500 900 each for new Har-
Elm and Fordham buildings. 1t took
MANY Interviews with Comptroller Grout,
Nlvor Low and the members of the Board
If Estimate before success was assured.
But he stated the city's needs so strongly
that work on all three new hospitals is
under way.
\ When Architects McKim, Mead Il
thite commenced work on the new Belle
Ne plans they found tho ground space
aNNtirely Inadequate. DR.. Brannan and his
associates wanted the new hospital to &C
cNmodate 800 patients. 1t has room for
only 900 now, and, during the winter months
VI en- sickness In the city is more general,
100 patients have had to be sent home or
transferred to the island hospitals daily
in order to make room for the emergency
casas
It was found that il the hospital grounds
Included an additional block north OF the
present location, between Twenty-eighth
and Twenty -ninth streets, First avenue
and the East River. the pre- blem of ground
woull not only be solved, but the plant
4 the United Electric Light and Power
company. which has maintained smoke
nuisance in the neighborhood Of the hospital
For years, would be out OF the way.
1t appeared that the electric light COM
pany wanted 81 100000 for it's property.
no orrl rf attn 70
acquiring of the additional block would
mean possibly S?,00O,OOO expenditure, but
they were finally convinced that 1t was
needed, and the block was recently con-
de nued.
The hospital authorities found snag
n their way when protests began to come
in from merchants who Use the public
lock at the foot of East Twenty-eighth
street, because it would become inaccess-
lole if the street were closed. The aid
u Dock Commissioner Hawkes. was then
ought by the trustees and the needs Oh
h. HOSPITAL were made evident to him.
H. visited Bellevue and saw the crowded
c1n ition Of the wards, particularly the
alcoholic and prison wards, in which the
lun5ar of patterns was almost double
The number OF beds. H also went over
n" ground at the foot OF East Twenty
eighth, Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth streets
thoroughly, and has decided to construct
i now pier at the foot Of Thirtieth street
70 accDmm date the merchants crowded
ol. OF rwnny-eighth street.
Not less important than the securing OF
ne rev hospitals was the bringing OF DR.,
William Mabon from the ST. Lawrence
Hospital for the Insane at Ogdensburg.
o. New York as superintendent or
Bellevue and Allied Hospitals. When the
Trustees we're looking for a superintendent
a., fall DR.. Frederick Peterson, president
VI The State Lunacy Board, suggested
lr MahOn. II was not easy to secure
din, a. he was contented in his model in
sitlton ON tho st. Lawrence, but he was
convinced Of the great possibilities at
Bellevue, of which he il en- alumnus. and
accepted the post.
Chief among DIR. Mabon's reforms is
the n1' a"atlon be telegraph to relatives
Of u" dangerous illness or dealt OF patients
and also immediate notice when patients
are transferred TO the island hospitals.
Nlnt. Mlhon is also arranging for the
informing of all hospital employees,
which will be done as soon as funds are
available
The beneficial changes in the insane
naVnon, now called the psychopathic
ward ont of consideration for many people
sent there for observation who are after
wrafd proved TO be sane, deserves mention
The board of examining physicians has been
an1tlshed and resident physicians substi-
LU"i under the supervision of DR.. Mabon,
hrhseI an eminent aienist. Pupil nurses
nav" been abolished. and experienced
hlrSnS from insane hospitals substituted,
MAKING repetition Of past scandals in the
nRm,inn impossible
, Within the last few weeks President
n'ennaA and Supt. Mabon have visited the
MNTeat hospitals in the East, including the
81 80,