Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-07


Emergency Service Inadequate.
The board recommends that the Elmer
gency Hospital service Of the city be made
a purely government service, supported by
public appropriation and controlled by pub
lie authorities. The present emergency serv-
ice. it is declared, is inadequate, since large
sections of the city are not properly pro-
vided for, in the opinion OF the board.
IAN earnest request is made by the Cen.
trail Dispensary and Emergency Hospital,
says the report, "for an appropriation to en-
able it to enlarge its accommodations. Ihe
need for increased accommodation arises
very largely because Of the presence In the
institution of large number of patients
who do not properly belong to the emer-
gency service at all, and who could as easily
and as properly be cared for In any general
hospital"
A recommendation is made for modlil-
cation of the law with respect to Freed
mans Hospital and Asylum, so as to uniIy
the control and clearly define responsibility
for the conduct of the institution.
'If Congress deems proper, says the
board, ito make Freedman's Hospital an
integral part of Howard University, II
should be organized under the direction OF
the university authorities and the support
of the institution should be borne wholly py
the United States government. DISTRICT OF
Columbia patients should then De received
under contract on a per capita basis. II, on
the other hand, Congress should determine
to make the institution part OF the DIS
trict charity system. it should be organized
and controlled under the immediate direc.
ton of the Commissioners OF the District Oh
Columbia
The board recommends that Congress au-
thorize the transfer of a part OF the
grounds of the Industrial Home School 10
the Navy Department. When the transfer
is made it is suggested that the school be
moved to a larger tract of land in the
country and that the present property be
sold.
Juvenile Court.
with reference to the establishment of a
Juvenile court the board of charities says:
1--WE again earnestly recommend that
Juvenile court be established, devoted ex-
clusively to the hearing and determining of
cases involving dependent and delinquent
children.
1.-THE juvenile court should be an institu-
ton entirely separate and distinct from the
Police Court, with it's own judge and ofi-
GERS and should be devoted exclusively to
the work of dealing with juvenile delin-
uuentS and dependents.
The board suggests that after the new
municipal almshouse is completed on the
Districts tract of land near Giesboro
point the name Of the institution be changed
to 1.-The Home for the Aged and Infirm of
the District of Columbia" In the opinion
Of the board, the term ''almshouse'' carries
also recommends that two small parcels of
land adjoining the almshouse site. COM
prising. approximately, fifteen and nine
teen acres, respectively, be acquired by the
District of Columbia.
Nonresident Insane Patients.
The board says frequent. effrts are made
to secure admission to the Government
Hospital for the insane for persons who
are not residents of the district.
The board, 1t is declared, has exerted
every effort to check abuse in this direc-
tion. but 1t seems impossible entirely to
prevent the admission Of nonresident per-
sons. Many persons designated as cranks
are attracted to the national capital for
one reason or another and are arrested
and committed to the Government Hospital
foc the Insane. These persons are a
charge upon the District Of Columbia so
Icing as they remain here
The deportation of nonresident insane
patients charged to the District, 1t Is
stated, has saved the District many times
the entire cost of the work of the board of
charities.
In concluding It's report the board says:
THE board respectfully calls attention to
the fact that the appropriation for eharita-
bic and correctional work in the District of
Columbia is one of the largest items in the
District budget, amounting to $647 ,623 for
the current year. This fact alone empha-
sizes the Importance of an efficient, busi-
ness-like organization and administration
of the public charity system.