Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-08
Charge Against Emergency
Hospital Management.
HENRY T.OFFUTT'S CASE
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF BOARD
OF CHARITIES.
Commissioners to Make Recommends
lions as Soon as Consideration OF
Findings is Concluded.


Gross neglect in the treatment accorded
the late Henry T. Offutt during a part OF
the time he was in the Emergency Hos
pital is charged against that institution by
the committee on medical charities of the
board of charities in its report on the in
vestigation of the treatment given Ofutt
which was submitted to the Commissioners
today. The results of the investigation
conducted by the committee, consisting of
Mr.. John Joy Edison and Prof. Charles 2.
Neill, are summarized in the report as fol-
lows:
From the facts developed in this in
quiry, your committee Is Of the opinion that
from the time the case was brought into
the emergency ROOM until it was moved
to the hospital ward. about fourteen hours
later, the treatment of the man was
marked by gross neglect"
When asked as to what action the Com
missiOners will take in this matter, Com
missioner mcfarland stated that no de-
cision fas been reached as yet but that the
Commissioners will carefully consider the
testimony and the report, and will make
recommendations as to action within a
short time.
Order for the Inquiry.
Under date Of January 10 the Commits
sioners issued an order directing the Board
of Charities to make inquiry into the case
of Henry r. Offutt, who died at the
Emergency Hospital January last. The
order was issued. it was stated, in view Of
the statement of the coroner's jury at the
inquest upon the death of Mr.. Offutt, which
was to the effect that:
Henry T. Offutt came to his death Janu-
ovN atf hn fol frl,,
fracture of the skull; the injury was caused
by falling from car at OF near 18th and H
streets northwest, January ), 1904. We also
believe that his death was due to an acct
dent. We, the corOner's jury, are of the
opinion that Mr.. Henry T. Offutt, while
patient at the Emergency Hospital, did not
receive the proper care that was due his
case under the circumstances"
Report of Committee.
The committee states that the matter was
brought before the board of charities at its
meeting January 16, when it was referred
to the committee on medical charities for
investigation. The committee examined
ten witnesses. The facts in the case, as set
forth by the committee in its report after
hearing the testimony, are as follows:
Mr.. Ofutt was brought to the hospital
in the hospital ambulance in charge of one
of the hospital physicians. about tbs pm.
January 5. He was brought by the ambu-
lance from the drug store on the corner of
18th and ii streets, and the statement was
made to the physician in charge of the am
bulance at the drug store that the patient
had FALLEN off street car. When he
reached the hospital he was partly con-
scious. He was suffering from a severe
fall.
Immediately upon being brought in the
man was examined by the resident phys.
clan who had brought him to the hospital
a nd n NV tt~
Inc presence of a fracture was, according
to their testimony, suspected by each but
they were unable to determine it with GER
tainty, as specific symptoms for which thew
looked were absent. Enormously assuming
IL 10 De case of conclusion only and that
the effects might wear off during the night
and the man be able to leave early in the
morning, the physician in charge of the
case mad the man placed in a bed in the
emergency room, without having been nm
dressed. where he remained until late in
the morning. "
The emergency room Is on the ground
noor OF the building, and is not under the
supervision OF the night nurse on DUTY at
the hospital From o'clock at night
therefore, until o'clock in the morning
no nurse came near the man.
Left Without Attention.
Inc physician in charge of the case. ac-
cording to his testimony did go into the
room at intervals of half hour I'D to 2
CLOCK; but during the rest of the night
the patient was left without the attention
OF elther doctor or nurse. When placed in
peo IN the emergency room he was restless
ana tossed about on the bed, suggesting to
the resident physician in charge of the
Use Use tne danger OF his falling or rolling
from the bed. The physician placed two
beds side by side and fastened them to-
gether IN order to lessen this danger The
night Waterman testifes that the man did
IAN from his bed to the tiled floor twice
during the night, and that he (he night
watchman) placed him back in the he'd
after each fall"
Inc report goes on to say that the testt-
n;ony shows that the patient was left in a
hIthy condition all night and that the o6or
IN the room when the nurse went into if in
the morning was unbearable Continuing
the report states:
The man remained In this emergency
room all night, with any Yaluables he NAV
have had left on his person and was NOT
searched until the following morning. at
the time he admitted to the bospitaI
proper.
Fracture Positively Determined.
About o'clock the following morning
the man was undressed bathed and put In
a bed In the hospital ward. At about IL
O'Clock of the same day he was examined
by DIR. Carr of the visiting staff, who at
once pronounced the injury to be fracture
of the skull
From this time on the case was under
the supervision of DR.. Carr, a member of
the visiting staff of the hospital and the
treatment according to DIR. Cars testi-
mony, was given with fun knowledge of
the nature of the mans injury
Your committee did not feel called upon
to attempt any investigation of the nature
OF the treatment after the case had come
into the hands of DIR. Carr. From Dr.
Cars standing In his profession we feel
justified in assuming that any treatmen,
given by him or under his supervision wi n
knowledge of the nature of the injury
would be proper"
The report concludes with statement OF
the findings of the committee previously
mentioned. and 1t is signed by Messrs Ed
sor and Neill. and approved by the board
OF charities under date of March Z.
IL is suggested the only action the Com
missioners can take on the report as to the
manag cement of the hospital Is to recon.
mend action by Congress. One of the re.
suits that might ensue from such recon-
mendation, in the opinion of the Commits
sioners, would be to induce Congress 10
give the District authorities supervision
and control over all semi-public hospitals
and charities in the District.