Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-21
FREEDMEN'S HOSPITAL
DIR. WAKEFIELD OPPOSED TO d.
vIDED JURISDICTION.
Would Have a Wholly National Insti-
tution-Increase in Patients
Last Fiscal Year.

In his annual report Of the operations OF
Freedmen's Hospital for the fiscal year
ending June 80 last, DR.. w. A. Warheld,
surgeon in chief, strongly recommends that
| the institution over which he presides be
made national hospital for the relief OF
suffering colored men and women and that
the present system Of dividing jurisdiction
between the government and the District
authorities be done away with. This sug-
gestion was made in the previous annual
report of DIR. Warfield also, and he refers
| to the fact in the document that has just
been presented. Another year of the di-
vided Jurisdiction only adds to the urgency,
declares DR.. Warfeld. He suggests that
the next Congress be requested to enact
a law which will provide that the whole
maintenance of Freedmen's Hospital be
| borne by the United States, and that the
Commissioners of the District Of Columbia
be authorized to enter into a contract with
the Secretary of the Interior for the care, at
such rate per capita as may be determined
upon, of all persons from the District adj
| mitted to the hospital for treatment"
Increase in Patients Treated
The patients treated in the hospital last
year We're much more numerous than in
previous years. This number will continue
to increase from year to year, 1t is stated.
since there seems to exist desire to limit
facilities for the treatment of colored peo-
pie In many other hospitals.
The admissions during the year were
1854 males, 1,223 females, to which may be
added 11S WHO were remaining July ], 1903,
and 100 who were born in the hospital,
making total Of 1924 under care, as
against 2,61T the previous year. an increase
Of ga.
The discharges were 3,11O, leaving in the
hospital July I, 1904, ia.
The results of treatment have been 1,25S
discharged as well, 1,269 improved, 154 I'M
improved, thirty-three not treated, 1877 died.
The percentage of mortality for the year
was GIL per cent of the cases under care,
as against 1.3S per cent the preceding year.
Not in ten years has the mortality record
been so low. The nearest to 1t was reached
In 1900 when it was 6.3f per cent. The
number of moribund cases applying for adj
mission continues very high; thirty-five
were received in this condition, of which
number nineteen died within twenty-four
hours and sixteen within forty-eght hours.
"All public hospitals have this condi-
ton with which to DEAL DIR. Warf1eld
states, land l suppose will continue as
long as there people who in the hour
OF death are willing to have their dying
relatives OR friends transported to some
hospital as the last resort of proIonging
life"
Four hundred and eighty-four operations
were performed, of which number $50 were
discharged as cured 100 improved seven
unimproved. and sixteen died Five of
these died from causes other than for which
they were operated upon, and six died from
shock and hemorrhage as the result Of
severe accidents before coming to the hos
pital.
In the out-patient department 6,0S1 re-
ceived treatment. OF these, 4,09S were med
ical, 1,214 surgical, 325 genealogical and
444 eye and ear diseases.
The number of patients treated in the
out-patlent department represents a de-
crease of 17S, as compared with the number
treated the previous year, while the whole
number treated in the hospital and out
patient department is an increase Of 257
over the previous year, although one Of the
principal medical wards was under quaran-
smallpox.
Treatment Of Non-Residents.
''Of the number admitted to the hospital
76O were non-residents of the District Of
Columbia. which represents an increase Of
$50 over last year. the chief surgeon con-
tinues. "A majority of non-residents comes
from Maryland and Virginia, doubtless on
account of the contiguity of these states to
the District of Columbia. However, many
come from states Of greater distance.
They are not the aged and infirm, chronics
and incurables, seeking an asylum to remain
until death, but they constitute those who
suffer from some acute and durable disease,
and when discharged from the hospital, in
most cases return to the communities from
of lack of hospital privileges for colored
people in many of the towns throughout
the country. They feel further encouraged
to seek the benefits of this institution,
knowing that no distinction is made between
patients of different races, that equal priv
ileges are extended to all who are re-
ceived for treatment Moreover, this hos
pital is generally known throughout the
country as national in character, which also
serves as an inducement for many nom
resident to apply for treatment. There is
no denying the fact that as national this
hospital stands for more good and useful
ness than it would if limited to the care of
local patients exclusively.
II am firmly of the opinion that 1t should
stand for both. 1t should stand for the re-
lief of human suffering from any part of
the country, thus meeting the demands of
a class of people whose presence in great
numbers is not desired in other hospitals.
This would logically place it, both fiscal and
administrative, under the management of
the general government, as urged in my
last annual report
The New Hospital.
1.-The subject of greatest interest at the
present time IS the new Freedmen's Hos
pital which is to be erected ON the square
north of the present site, for which pro-
vision was made in the sundry civil act
approved April %, 1904. The great care and
strenuous efforts to keep the present build
ings together seem less laborious. knowing
that the new hospital is now an assured
fact. The grounds upon which it Is to be
built contains about eleven acres, with
gradually sloping HILL studded with mag
nif1cent oaks, making a beautiful site for
the hospital, and when complete no doubt
will be model of its kind.
THE training school for nurses has made
some advance over the previous year." the |
report concludes. 1.-The school alumnae was |
admitted to full membership in the Nurses
Associated Alumnae of the United States. |
The training school was registered in the |
state of New York under the laws regu-
lating the state educational department., so |
that nurses holding diplomas from this |
school can register and practice their pro-
fession in the state of New York without !
the necessity of an examination"
Auto Kills Girl in Philadelphia.
A dispatch from Philadelphia last night |