Evening star., 1909-02-19
NEW HOSPITAL RULES
Bill Drafted to Regulate Pri-
vate institutions.
FOR STRICTER CONTROL
Bond Required Before License May
Be Issued.
FULL REPORTS TO BE MADE
Regulations Provided for Buildings
Used and the Proper Care
of Patients.
FULL REPORTS TO BE MADE

To provide for the stricter control of
private hospitals and asyums in the Dis
trict by the health office, through the Dis
trict Commissioners. Health Officer Wood
ward has drafted set of new regula tions.
Copies have been sent to many of the
proprietors of private hospitals and asy-
lums with a request that suggestions as
to changes may be made in them be-
to the Commissioners
The regulations are drafted under the
section of recent enactment of Congress
which gives the Commissioners power to
promulgate regulations governing the
licensing of the asylums or hospitals and
controlling their maintenance.
Section | of the proposed regulations
provides that any person desiring to
ma intain private hospital or asylum for
human beings or domestic animals shall
apply to the Commissioners in writing for
a license, and the application shall show
he kind and number of cases it is desired
to treat, the number, location and ca
pacity of the buildings to be used and the
name of the owner of the proposed insti-
tuition.
No person is allowed to establish such
a hospital, according to section >, until
he has filed with the commissioners the
written consent of three fourths of the
owners and occupants of buildings with
in 2DO feet of the proposed hospital, but
this is not necessary for hospitals or asy
ums established prior to the passage of
the act of Congress in April, 1!0S.
In section > it is provided that no
license shall be issued until the health
officer. inspector of buildings, chief en-
Sineer of the fire department and the in
spector of plumbing have certified that
the premises are suitable for use as hos
pitsl or asylm.
Required to Furnish Bond.
In section it is proposed to compel
every licensee to furnish bond for $1,000
in the case of a hospital for human be-
ings or for $1,000 in the case of hospi-
tai for animals. conditioned in either
case for the benefit of any and all persons
who may be aggrieved by any act, or by
any neglect. arising out of or in connec-
tion with the establishment or mainte-
nance Of said hospital or asylum; provided.
that this section shall not apply when
and SO long as the premises occupied by
said hospital or asylum are owned by
the owner of such institutions
The license section . proposes, shall
specify the number and kind of patients
that may be received in each hospital,
and the license is to be prohibited from
receiving any patient in excess of the
number specified or of the kind not
specified.
Record of Patients.
Regarding the keeping of records of
patients the proposed regulations say:
Every owner and every superintend-
ent of private hospital or asylum for
human beings shall keep OF the premises
ii permanent bound record. showing the
name. usual residence (giving street and
number). sex. color, age and social
= fWbefhcr married. Sinpo nr
vorced) of each patient. and showing
also the date of admission and date of
discharge. Said entries shall be made
serially in order of occurrence. and
births and stillbirths occurring in the
institution shall be serially recorded
therein but no entry need be made to
show the identity of the parents of any
illegitmate child"
In section Z 1t is proposed to prohibit
the use of any buildings for hospitals
asylums unless said building or part of
building is properly lighted ventilated.
drained heated and screened, provided
with proper supply of hot and cold
water at all times and equipped with
fire escapes and means or fire protection
as are required by law
Sections and refer to the restraining
of insane drunken or delirious patients.
as follows:
mo person shall use any building or
part of building as private hospital
or asylum for human beings, except for
children under five years of age. unless
or until it has been provided with one or
more rooms properly barred for the pro-
lection of insane. drunken or delirious
inmates, or with facilities for promptly
barring one or more such rooms
mo person. being the owner or super
intendent. or an employe, of any private
hospital or asylum. shall permit any de-
lirious maniacal patient, or any patient
who may reasonably be expected soon to
become delirious or maniacal, to remain
in any room that is not properly barred
and closed, so as to prevent the escape
of such patient. or accident or injury to
him, unless said patient is in the actual
physical presence of an attendant capable
Of controlling and restraining him
Contagious Disease Cases.
Cases of contag gious diseases will be
prohibited in the hospitals, without the
written permission of the health officer.
under section 10.
In case the licensee of any private hos
pital or asylum is not a physician author
lied to practice in the District of Column
bia in the case of an institution for hui
man beings or veterinary surgeon in the
case on an institution for animals, it is
proposed to compel the licensee to ap
point one Or more physicians or one or
more veterinary surgeons TO act as an
attending stan Tor the ii4iltutlon ana 10
be responsible for the professional care Of
the patients.
Regarding the revocation of permits
section Is says:
That whenever it is made to appear
to the satisfaction of the Commissioners
that any private hospital or asylum,
either for human beings or for domestic
animals, is menace TO the lives, limbs.
health, or morals of the inmates thereof
or is nuisance to tine neighborhood, or
is conducted contrary to the provisions
of these or other regulations, or of law,
the Commissioners will give notice to
the licensee requiring him within a
period specified in said notice TO
show cause why his license should not
be revoked. and unless such cause be