The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-08

I'm a poor man and am going PACK |
to the practice of medicine. |
This is the conclusion of City Physician
Henry S. Nelson's valedictory, but 1t is
not by any means all he has to say In
reference to his two years at the mead
of the city hospital and much of what he
does say is inside history never before
published. |
When DIR. Nelson was seen by I
Journal this morning he was clean |
ing out his office In the city hospital
preparatory to retiring in favor of his
successor, DR.. George E. Kicker
thought I was thru with all that was
his comment when he was requested to
make some parting statement anent his
decidedly interesting and varied expert
ences as city physician under the Ames
and Jones regimes. Then by way OF
showing why he wanted to be thru with
1t. the last of the original Ames appoin-
tees told the story of his official life.
Where the Right Won Out.
IT tell you the two years I have had
down here has been simply hell he said.
"Why is it that everybody, almost, has
been after me? Is it something In my
personality? Do 1 antagonize everybody?
Is it the way l treat people? I've tried to
be right and courteous and have done
nothing in opposition to others but to In
sist on my rights.
And I have been right Why is 1t
that people do not give me credit for
that? People come to me and say: "Oh,
NeAon, you're a id clever politician.
You're too smart for them. They couldn't
catch YOU and all that sort Of thing.
Won't the public give me credit for haV-
ing been honest and conscientious? Must
they think that I have been nothing but
a politician and a fighter because 1 have
been wide awake enough to protect my
rights when a lot of disgruntled politi-
done; that and run the city hospital as
nearly as possible as it should be run.
Il tell you no one knows what T. have
had to contend with from the, first week
I occupied this position. Ames, the very
man who practically appointed me, tried
to get my head before I had been In here
six days. He couldn't effect my discharge
because I am elected for two years and
could not be removed except for cause.
'"Then the board of corrections and
charities tried to get me-, and they
couldn't find any way, because I was right
Then because I wouldn't stand for Ames,
his friends tried the grand jury. They
tried six of them, and every single grand
Jury came down here prejudiced and de-
termned to find something against me.
In eac hand every case l showed them all
there was; told them: Gentlemen, here
IS everything. Make the most of it, and
every grand jury finished by either for
mally or informally complmentng me on
the management Of the institution.
Fired Ames' Appointees.
IT found this hospital In condition of
chaos. There were no books or records
and there was no system. allowed Ames
to dictate the appointments In six months
had discharged five of his appointees
for rank incompetency, and in two cases
for plain stealing. In one of these cases
caught the employe taking money from
drunken patients pockets I bought
r 1o1 To
made bitter enemies by compelling the
=. favored dealers to make rock-bottom
I competition prices.
J II fought the gang and I had to op-
pose Ames, but I established such a sys-
tenn In this hospital that no patient was
! robbed and no taxpayer lost a cent. Wher
| they found that I was on top they tried
every means to catch me In something
crooked. Nurses came to me and tried
! to buy diplomas from me; one man sen
me a check Just to be good fellow ant
I tore it up the first time I saw him ant
threw it in his face. They tried a jol
on me by attempting to get me to o. X
a crooked bill. 1 discharged the employ
= involved at once and the board Of correc
tons and charities had to take care o
him. Prominent men in town tried t.
j work in as charity patients sick person
who were plainly not entitled to care, gra
tbs. Every effort was made to job me.
'.- Ames Did "Run Things Strong"
perhaps 1 WOulQnL nave Deen quite d.
careful, determined as I was to hav
things right and straight had not bee
repeatedly warned that the administra
ton was going to run things strong, an
that hell would be a-popping soon.' AM
even with all my care I wouldn't hav
been able to save myself If hadn't bee
repeatedly warned of traps set for me,
that was prepared for them when the
came. ...a .... b..
TT was thru Bill Russell of the boar
of corrections and charities that got m
appointment and it was thru him that
was so wei liable to confound my enemies
People say he was wrong and all tina
sort Of thing. I don't know anythin
about that; but 7 do know that he wa
perfectly right with everything connecte
with this hospital and that he stuck by m
. and helped me to see that no errors di
creep in.
"And now, after having had to conten
with Ames, to whose influence I owed m
appointment, and with Ames' closes
friends and advisors and with the oil
board of corrections and charities, with 81
grand jurors and with a hostile publ
sentiment, am leaving my office wit
conscience clear and reputation untal
nished, and satisfied that my work ha
been we'll done. Moreover, 1 have mao
two fast friends where had two bite
enemies. Professor J. G. Moore and o.
willie Rinehart Of the board of correction
and charities. started out to find n
wrong. They ended by finding me rigl
and they are now as good and true frient
as any man could wish.
II wanted this place for the medical e;
perience it could give me- I have gotte
that and have in addition gotten a. va
deal of experience, executive and polite
that could not otherwise have gotte
i am not naturally fighter. I wou
gather have been left alone, and new
went looking for trouble. But when
came to me 1 met it and have general
gotten the best Of 1t.
Retrenchment VS.. Parsmony.
-swhen the call came a year ago to r
trench, because we were $4,000 benin