The Washington herald., 1906-12-09
URGE new HOSPITAL
Charity Board Would Care
for InebriateS and Insane.
BEGS FOR PLAGUE VICTIMS
Special Provisions Are Needed, Say
commissioners, for Tuberculosis
Patients, Lunatics, Chronic and
Convalescent Cases, Poor Mothers,
the INDECENT, Aged, and Infirm.

In the report Of the Board of Charities
submitted to the Commissioners yester-
day, it is recommended that a more suita-
bic provision be made for the care of al
coholic and insane cases. recourse to
the police station and Jail for such cases
being termed inhuman and unjustihable
The board reiterates the pressing needs
Of hospital accommodations for persons
who may be arrested, or who may fall
into the custody OF the police pending
/ their examination and legal disposition.
II is requested that until more suitable
provisions be made patients Of this class
be cared for at the Emergency Hospital
under the contract system.
An estimate Of 1900 has been inserted in
the budget for the Washington Asylum.
which, if granted, will provide temporary
accommodation for such patients In a
year or two the board viii urge an appro-
priation for the erection of suitable de-
tention wards in connection with the site
on which the present tuberculosis build
ings are being constructed.
Public Wards Are Imperative.
With regard TO the care of e. ronic and
convalescent cases. the report says: The
immediate and imperative ner essity for
public ward= for chronic and convaIescent
patients must be apparent when it is re-
membered that a large number of cur sick
and destitute poor, a daily average Of
about lie, are being cared for in the same
hospital building at the Washington Asy-
lum grounds which were condemned by
the hospital experts in November 1897"
The board submits an estimat t. of S3lO,-
900 for an additional wing and admins
tration building for the wOrkhouse The
/ second wing, now under construction,
Will be completed and ready for use
within the current year. There will then
/ be available in the new workhouse 90
cells. But even this number, the report
states, will not afford a separate cell for
| each prisoner, to say nothing of future
/ increase in numbers. The maximum num-
/ Der Of prisoners at any one time during
/ the last year was $40.
Beg for Less Commitments.
/ On several occasions. it is stated. the
/ WorkhOuse has become so congested that
/ it was deemed necessary by the superin-
tendent to advise the Police Court judges
Of the conditions IN the hope that the
number Of commitments might be lessen
] ed
/ The Columbia Hospital for Women has
not been included in the contracts with
/ the various hospitals for the year, as
aside from occupying a valuable gov
I eTnment site. estimated to be worth S500,-
/ Ooo, an outlay of S09Oo0 for new buildings
would be involved
The board" IL Is stated. recognizes
/ the Importance and desirablity of a spe-
cial maternity hospital. and as soon as the
/ provisions shall have been made for the
more urgent needs Of the INDECENT poor.
/ IL is the intention Of the board to recon-
mend the erection of such "a building on
a less expensive site already. owned by
/ the District OF Columbia"
/ Appropriations have been obtained for
la Home for the Aged and Inhrm. a
burial ground for the INDECENT dead.
I hospital for tuberculosis patients. and an
( industrial school for colored children
The board recommends that the super
vision of reform schools be removed from
the Department Of Justice to the District
government. No provision has been made
FOR the care Of feeble-minded children
and there are no outside institutions in
! which these unfortunates can be placed