The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-12
prefer CHARGES
AGAINST SHOOK
Assistant Superintendent at City
Home Must Answer Before
Committee.
FIGHT LED BY HIRscHBERG
lntimated That Errors Have
Been Made in Preparing Drugs
for Patients.

Formal charges Of incompetency and
gross neglect OF official duty were pre-
ferred against First Assistant Superin-
tendent W. H. Shook, OF the City Home
yesterday by Councilman John Hirsch-
berg, member OF the Council Com
mittee on Relief of the Poor. The
charges will be heard by that com
mtttee at a meeting to be held at the
city Home on Monday night at S
o'clock. 1t Is the third time within as
many months that tho assistant super
intendent has been under fire. He as
cribes the charges 10 "A secret enemy
In the institution but has not as yet
designated the man.
MIR. Hirschberg yesterday wrote
letter to DR.. Snook informing him that
the charges would be stated at the
committee meeting on Monday night,
and copy of the letter was sent to
Chairman Graham B. Hobson, OF the
committee III
Willie the specific charges are not
outlined. tits stated by the author that
DR.. Shook, who is ex oficio druggist
and dispenser of the City Home Hos
pita, has made serious mistakes in
compounding prescriptions. a month
or two ago a similar charge wns made
against the druggist superintendent by
DR.. Manfred Call, member OF tho
medical stafr of the hospital. who had
ordered for patient a liniment for
external application, and to his horror
found that the bottles had been mixed
and his patient had been given a
spoonful OF the drug internally, and
had actually swallowed part of It.
Would Not Investigate.
Once before that DR.. Shook came
into prominence through the alleged
mixing of drugs. leading to the charge
that an Injection of ink had been given
to patient in the Institution. The pa
ticnt died, hut the charge of injecting
Ink instead of strong solution or
heart stimulant prescribed, was not
sustained, though the nurses and In
tcrncs said that the fluid furnished
looked like ink"
When DIR. Calls charges were read
in the Committee on Relief OF the Poor
several members favored an immediate
and vigorous Investigation. The com
mittce, however. had spent much time
investigating City Home affairs and
members We're sensitive ut the con-
tinucd criticisms directed against the
city government for being pcrpetually
Investigating something. y compro-
mise was reached. therefore. when Mr..
Umlauf. of the committee, was In
structed to confer with DR.. Shook and
privately warn him that such mistakes
as reported by DR.. Call must not occur.
again.
Or. Snoole has been assistant super
intendcnt and pharmacist OF the In
stltutlon since January 1, 1910, sue
ceeding Dr. Beverly Lewis He was
candidate for the position of superin-
tcndent against DR.. r. G.. Cabell Mt
the time OF his election. following the
resignation Of former Superintendent
George b. Davis.
situation Ia Serious.
Mr.. Hlrschberg said yesterday that
he regarded the situation as most Sc
rlous from complaints that had been
made to him. The lives OF poor people
and those picked up on the streets by
the ambulance. he said, were being
endangered BY such plumbers as ne
was informed had been committed. The
medical staff or the City Home Hos
pital ranks as high as that OF any
hospital In tile city, being headed by
DIR. George Ben Johnston. who has
given much time and thought to i'm
proving the condition OF the INDECENT
sufferers. All of tho doctors give
their services without compensation.
Mr.. IIirschberg said he had merely
notified DR.. Shook so that no might
not be surprised or taken unawaros
when he states his full charges at the
meeting on Monday night.
DR.. Shook, when informed of tho
Hirschberg charges. said that no had
no knowledge Of recent errors IN
compromising prescriptions. and he
was at loss where TO attribute tho
basis OF any such charge unless II
emanated from some enemy within
tho institution. who wished to dis
credit him. Ho was a practicing
,, pharmacist and druggist for many
years. and is registered with tho State
Board. DR.. Shook said that his rela-
tons with Superintendent Cnbell and
tho officials of tho home had always
been most cordial.
Dr. Shook was elected from Clay
Ward and receives salary of 500
per month. e