The San Francisco call., 1908-09-27
Nurse and Druggist Called Be-
fore Board TO Explain Pur-
chase of Medicines
Women Eager to Amend COnsti.
tuition to CurtaiI Powers of
= DR.. F. w. VOwinckeI
Institution in Debt and Charges
of Mismanagement Are
Freely Circulated

A sensation has been
sprung at the California
woman's hospital, one of the
pioneer charitable institu-
tions Of the city, by the an
nouncement that the Crocker
estate has. withdrawn its
support, amounting to $125
a month on the report OF the COM
mittee of the Associated Charities
that the establishment had been
grossly mismanaged. At the
same time it has become public
that the new board of lady man
ayers has discovered evidences of
mismanagement and have insti-
tuted rigid investigation.
The storm centers about DIR. F.
NJ vowinckel, the physician in charge
and Miss Jessie Mckenzie. superin-
tendent Of nurses Although a boar,
OF trustees headed by Attorney William
H. Metson. and a committee of lady
managers have been in ostensible con-
troll, the real management. it is stated,
has been in the hands Of DR.. Vowinclkel
and Miss Mckenzie.
10 a climax Wednesday at a lively
meeting at which the troubles of the
Institution were discussed. At that
meeting Herbert Z. Dugan, the drug
g5st. was called in TO explain certain
charges made for drugs, it was dis
covered that the hospital was $4,000
in debt, that the creditors were clamor-
ing for payment, and that an over
abundance OF certain hospital supplies
had been purchased. What caused the
greatest CONSERVATION, however, was
the revelation that a lot adjoining
the hospital site at 311S Sacramento
street worth several thousand dollars
had been sold for unpaid taxes.
DR. Nowinckel had hurried from the
east 10 be present at the meeting on
Wednesday. Mrs. Laura Bride Powers,
acting president was in the chair. She
had been appointed with Mrs. A. W.
Scott on a special committee TO look
int the finances OF the institution. This
committee made the discoveries which
came like a bombshel into the meet.
ing. Tt was charged that the hospital
had been paying eXorbitant prices for
ITS drugs and for that reason Dugan
was called upon TO explain.
WOULD AMEND CONSTITUTION
The women believe that the trouble
lies with the constitution under which
the hospital is operating in that it
does not distribute responsibility, but
tends to centralize control. The sys-
TEN of management is somewhat com
piicated. providing for board OF trus-
Ices composed of men, board of lady
A anagers, q surgeon in charge, and
superintendent of nurses. 1t is stated
that the board Of trustees and the lady
managers have not requisite authority
When the present board Of managers
went into Office in May, Mrs Virginia
Isenburg was elected president and
Mrs Powers vice president The lat
ter has been acting as president for
some time in the absence of the for
mer.
AS soon as the new board took charge
St was found that the institution was
badly in debt, and Mrs. Powers was ap-
pointed to find solution of the finan-
cial problem. With Mrs. A. w. Scott
she went TO the various creditors and
the bills. which was granted. Then an
investigation OF conditions was COM
menced for the purpose of determining
what was the cause OF the trouble. It
was found that the board OF managers,
OF which Mrs. Francis Carolan was
president, had gone out of Office, after
having experienced a great deal of
trouble, and that the same condition
existed when the previous board. of
which Mrs A N. Towne was a lead
ing member. had retired.
The committee found that although
the board OF mana gers is relied on to
secure funds TO pay the debts it really
had but very little power in the con-
duct Of the institution. It was found
that DR.. +. W. Nowinckel, surgeon in
charge, was appointed by the board of
trustees, OF which he himself is a
member. In turn DR.. Vowinekel ap-
points the superintendent of nurses,
who buys all of the drugs, ana also
appoints the staff OF doctors.
In return for his giving his services
without compensation in the case Of
INDECENT patients the surgeon in charge
has the privilege of the hospital for
Nhis own patients, and outside of the
members OF the staff no doctor can
bring a patient to the hospital
The board of mana gers. which is
composed Of ladies. simply looks after
the domestic department and has no
authority whatever over the medical