Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-25
GATHERING DATA
AS TO HOSPITAL
CHIEF KERN GETTING READY
TO MAKE REPORT
PRESENT QUARTERS ADMITTED
AS INADEQUATE
Facilities Overtaxed When Two or
More Cases Requiring Difficult
Operations Happen to Come
In simultaneously

The finance committee of the city
council having authorized Chief OF Po-
lice Kern to report upon the present
condition and needs of the city receive
! ing hospital and also to submit an es-
innate of the probable cost Of equip
ping new quarters for the use of that
department, the chief is busy compil-
recommendations.
| 1t has long been urged by Drs. Sum-
ner j. Quint and e. H. Garrett, police
surgeons, that the present quarters of
| the receiving hospital be changed and
removed from the jail building.
From the action of the finance COM
mittee it is believed that these recon-
mendations are now to be followed and
that within the near future Los An
geles will have a receiving and emer-
gency hospital worthy of the name and
adequate to the needs of the city.
The present quarters, while the best
possible under the circumstances, are
entirely too small for the needs of the
city, are insanitary and are unsuited
in every way for the purpose for which
such an establishment is designed.
The present operating room is too
small and adapted only for the simplest
cases, and there is absolutely no pro-
vision made for the handling of more
than one serious case at time.
AS has happened and may happen
again at any time when two or more
accident cases requiring major or diff
flcult operations are brought in, the
facilities of the establishment are taxed
to the utmost to give the patients even
the most necessary attention, and when
more than one case is on hand at a
Al - = R.-II
but one patient for lack of the needed
facilities.
But One Operating Table
There is but one operating table, and
there is room in the operating room
for work on not more than two patients
at a time. There is ward room for
but six people under the most exact
ing circumstances.
In the case, for example, of the gas
explosion at the Cressaty restaurant
over year ago. where a dozen pa
tients were rushed into the hospital at
once, the facilities of the place were
taxed beyond measure, and the conse-
quence was that burned men and
women lay on the floors Of the ward
rooms suffering for needed attention,
whereas If the quarters were such as
they ought to be, all could have been
attended to at once.
There is no lack of surgeons, nurses
and attendants when the emergency
arises, but room is the one thing which
the city has denied this most necessary
branch of the police department, and
the action of the finance committee in
ordering Chief Kern to search for other
and better quarters is a move long
needed and one which meets with the
approval of all those most interested.
1t has been advocated for months by
Drs. Quint and Garrett that the city
lease the two upper floors of the build
ing adjoining the city jail on the east
side, now occupied by the Southwest
Printers Supply house and the Star
Engraving company and convert
them into a receiving hospital, with
operating rooms, ward rooms and de-
tention rooms for the accommodation
of all accident and emergency cases,
and of the insane and sick and wound
ed prisoners who, under the present ar
rangement, have to be sent to the
county hospital and kept under guard
while there.
Elevator to Be Installed
1t is proposed If these quarters can
be secured, and it is understood they
can be, to build an elevator leading
from the wagonway of the jail to the
upper floors of this building, on which
to lift patients into new and modern
reception ward, where they can be
attended to properly and without de-
lay.
Two or more operating rooms are to
be fitted up with all the modern and
necessary appliances and instruments
adequate to take care of any number
of patients who may be brought in.
Ward rooms for both male AND fe-
male patients and prisoners are to be
fitted up and cells for the confinement
and care of insane people are to be
built.
Places will be provided also for the
care of sick prisoners and wards and
private rooms for the use of patients
and members of the police department
who, under other circumstances, would
have to be sent to private hospitals.
1t is believed that the quarters In
this building can be secured within
the limit Of cost laid down by the
finance committee of the council and
that the rooms and wards can be fur
nished at a comparatively small cost
with all modern hospital appliances.
At the next meeting of the finance
committee Chief Kern will present mis-
report on the subject, and both Drs.
Ouint and Garrett will be present to in
eor,,, tho committee of the needs and