The sun., 1904-08-28
PAID FOR HOSPITAL PLACES,
BUYERS SEEK NOW TO REVOKE
THE SYDENHAM CHARTER

Charges have been made to tie State
Board of Charities against the trustees
and managers of the Sydenham Hbst Grad
uate Course and Hospital at $50 last 10th
street by four physicians who were for
merly members of the medical stan. but
who now ask that the charter berevoked
The complainants, who are represented
by the law firm Of Levy Il Tiger. are DR..
salo Cohn OF 1857 Madison avenue. DR..
Louis Lichtschein of l4o EaS Eighty-ntnth
street, DR.. A. L. Goldwster q "a West 1i9th
street and DR.. B. NJ. Feldhan Of z West
10th street. 4
One of the charges is tbt the institution
has been conducted as q sort OF get-roh-
ouick concern, and tht physicians who
ioined the staff had to Ply q certain amount
down for the privileg, and In addition q
stated sum monthly.
Dr. Goldwater sas he paid 5000 cash
for an appointment n the surgical depart
ment and $40 ninth thereafter Rates
had gone up, appfently, when DR.. Field
man Joined, for tat complainant declares
that he was taxe $50 In cash for place
in the departmeR OF gynecology, and that
he agreed to pa $40 month as long as he
remained.
The DptltlOnlOSldIc cc tildt INC az IceIuoutS
we're made With other physicians for cash
consideration. but their names are not
given.
Continuis, the petition says:
That forpurposes OF personal gain profit
and adyatag 10 themselves. the said trus-
Toes havIg control Of the said corporation
did ente into negotiations with one Spegel-
berp the end that the said Splegelberg
sbouldnake a large contribution of cash to
the s,i corporation In return for the privi-
iese , said Spiegelberg to redesgnate the
said hospital and to control appointments
upo the medical staff.
ne petition then gives sixteen specihca-
tins in support Of the allegations that the
tspita has been conducted in "an unsani-
iry, unlawful, negligent and improper man
her" Some Of them follow:
Cases of tuberculosis were kept in wacds
with other patients, contrary to the rules
Of the Health Department
Unlawful autopsies without the consent
Of the family of deceased patients.
No dead house is maintained in connection
with said hospital. and bodies Of patients are
left in wards with other patients for twenty
four hours.
Violation OF corporation ordinances In
fsilure to erect fire escapes. although specih-
csly required so to do by corporation authori-
ties
Charging the sum Of SIS per week as for
trained nurses. and only giving to persons
go paid therefor the services Of an ordinary
pupil nurse who receives a salary OF $40 per
month.
Substitution Of medicines-apothecary sub
stitutng according to his own judgment
for medicines prescribed. and not in drug
department. such medicines contained there
in as he saw fit.
Male physicians sleeping in same ward
where female nurses are sleeping.
Forcing dispensary patients to remain
in hospital in order to flll tho same prepara-
tory to an inspection by spiegelberg and
others whose interest was 80 ught in the
hospital.
Mingling Of sexes in the wards.
The petition continues:
Remonstrances being made against this
condition and other grounds Of complaint.
and it being necessary for the purpose OF the
persons controlling said hospital to create
vacancies on the medical stan. In order to
secure to said Splegelberg the privilege OF
making Up the said medical stan. as afore-
said. unfounded and indefinite charges were
made against your petitioners. who. without
hearing, were removed from the medical
staif OF the hospital.
During the period from November, 1907.
until the present time. there had been made
constant changes in the medical staff. after
the trustees had received compensation for
appointment thereto. In some instances.
when the physician who had been appointed
TO such medical staff would threaten to sue
for the money 30 obtained from him and eI-
pose the institution. the amount OF such
money was refunded to such physician out
OF the funds Of the hospital.
The spiegelberg referred to in the petition
is said to be w. l.. Spiegelberg OF lA West
Seventy eighth street. a relative OF Meyer
Guggenheim, the rich smelling man. His
purpose in joining the board Of trustees.
1t appears, was entirely laudable, and there
is no accusation that he had any knowl- |
edge Of the alleged sale Of places on the |
staff, or OF other abuses.
1t seems that the Guggenheim family |
sought to endow and name hospital. |
Rather than incorporate new one, they |
hit upon the plan of taking up the charter |
Of an institution already in existence, and |
the Sydenham Hospital was selected for |
that purpose.
The institution was incorporated in |
June, 1892, and licensed on Feb. 20, 1905, !
under law passed in 1909. 1t received no |
State aid or public money. but because Of
the license granted by the State Board
Of Charities is subject to its inspection and
regulation.
From the time 1t was Incorporated un-
Ill November, 1902, the institution ap-
parently was not engaged in any hospital
Or dispensary work, as contemplated in
It's charter, but continued as an inactive
with q limited directorate.
among whom we're Gen. James r. O'Beirne,
Alexander Boiler. W. W. Bell. w w. Bell, Jr.,
Frank Kissing. DR.. Franklin Soper, E. j.
Pickworth and DR.. j. j. E. Maher. As to
the change in management, the petition
says:
That In and prior to said month Of Novem-
Der. 1902. for their private gain and profit
and for the promotion Of their professional
practice and private interests. certain persons
did enter into Negotiations with the officers
and persons then controlling the said COR
poration. with the result that at a special
meeting thereof. held Nov 70. 1902. at 223
West Twenty-third street. the said persons
30 being in negotiation with said hospital
corporation were elected to membership
therein. to wit: DR.. Isaac Levin. Mr. Fred
erick W. West. Mr.. NJ. Gold. Or. /. Goldstein,
Mr.. Samuel Rosenthal. DR.. P. A. Levene.
Mr.. Morris Hellquit and your petitioners.
DR.. Louis Lichtschein and DR.. Salo Cohn:
and at which said meeting Messrs. Boiler.