The San Francisco call., 1908-09-27
department.. although it is called on ts
pay all bills against the, institution.
BIG PRICES FOR DRUGS


department, although it is called on to
pay all bills against the institution.
BIG PRICES FOR DRUGS
In the absence of Dr. Vowinckel, VINO
was In Europe for several months, MISS
Jessie Mckenzie, superintendent Oh
nurses, did all the purchasing or drugs,
ands in many instances, it was aHegsu'
the prices paid were eXorbitant. MOST
OF the supplies Were purchased from IL
f. Dugan and he was called on for an
explanation on Wednesday. me eA-
planation given at that time, It Is
known, was not at all satisfactory 10
the members of the board.
The fact was also brought out thal
the monthly contribution from the
Crocker estate, which amounted 10
S125, had been withdrawn on the rec
ommendation of the associated charl-.
ties committee. The reason given was
that the management of the lnstitu-
ton was not satisfactory,
1t is known that in order to remeuy
the defects, pay the debts and run the
institution on business principles, the
board of managers will make NUMBER
OF demands on the trustees. 1t is pro-
posed to abolish the office OF surgeon
in charge and ask DR.. Vowinckel to ac-
cept the position of chief surgeon, .leay-.
ing the business management OF the
hospital to a superintendent VINO
would be selected by the board OF man
ayers and directly responsible to that
body. 1t is also proposed to have the
contracts for all supplies awarded to
the lowest bidder in competition, ana
nave the institution open to all doctors,
as other hospitals are.
If these reforms are granted the
board of managers will Immediately
take up the matter of securing funds
n Ia l,A l4A %
business of the institution.
Some of the trustees have agreed to
1.-THE proposed changes, but no definite.
action has been taken up to the pres
ent time by the entire body.
BOARD MEMBERS PROMINENT
The California womans hospital is
one OF the oldest institutions of Its kind
IN the state and many of the leading
people OF San Francisco have been con-
nected with it, The present board of
trustees is composed of the following
members: w. H. Metson, president: J.
j. Lermen, Alexander Hamilton. Alfred
Anderson, Rudolph Herrold Colonel
John Roster, Charles f. Givens, Albert
Sutton, James McNab and DR.. F. W.
Vowinckel. On the board of lady man.
ayers are: Mrs. v. Isenberg. Mrs.
| Laura Bride Powers Mrs. Fred Well
ner, Mrs. NJ Detels. Miss Curtin, Mrs.
Charles Elliott, Mrs A. w. Scott, Mrs.
Paul Bancroft. Mrs. James Shea and
Mrs. King.
When asked for a statement In re-
gard to the matter last evening, Mrs.
| Powers said:
Il prefer not to discuss the hospital
aHairs now. My final report has not
| yet been made to the board of trustees.
who will meet the board of managers
next Wednesday, AT that time the mat
ter of reorganizing the institution will
come up.
There are absolutely no charges to
be brought against DIR. Vowinckel, but
rather against the archaic constitution
under which he is working, and under
which the institution has been strug-
Cling since the early seventies 1t is
the constitution of an absolute mon
archy rather than that of a republic
That. l think. is the real cause of the
coming and going of so many boards
OF managers during the last 10 years,
and the source of all the hospitals
woes"
Dugan explained last night that he
had supplied drugs to the hospital for
| several years.
IF 1t is true that went before the
| board of trustees OF the California
women's hospital last Wednesday," he
said. They called upon me to appear
before them and explain certain bills,
diu L tOHlptleQ With the request.
IF they are investigating alleged
| irregularities in my transactions l
know nothing about it, 1t is possible
that the trustees, being new board,
are not familiar with the manner in
which the business of the institution
is transacted. However. any investiga-
tion which they are conducting into
my transactions with the hospital is
being carried on unknown to me.
have not yet been asked to reappear
before the trustees at their meeting
next Wednesday,
II have supplied the hospital with
practically all of it's supplies for 15
years The institution purchased nearly
all of its supplies from me- Concern
| ing Miss Mckenzie, the matron, I can
say that I am well acquainted with
| her. as she has charge of all the hos
pital affairs and does the buying"
| Over the telephone last evening Miss
Mckenzie, superintendent Of nurses at
the hospital, admitted that Dugan had
been called in to explain his charges,
but contended that his bills were per-
fectly proper.
DR.. Vowinckel could not be reached
| last evening.
no Xor. Wout