The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-13
HOSPITAL IS
NOT pop ULAR
SAY DOCTORS
Management Has Failed to
Hold the Good Will of the
Public and Doctors, Reads
Statement.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

that the present constitution of the
Board of Trustees does not work to
the best interests of the hospital.
When st. Stephens Hospital was
first launched, the Vestry of ST. Pauls
Episcopal church selected the trus-
tees When this institution was merg
ed into Reid Memorial Hospital, and
after the people had contributed to the
endowment fund $4,000, the same self
perpetuating board of trustees, with
few additions, assumed control. On the
death or resignation of member the
place is filled by those remaining. The
cnoice naturally falls upon one, who
because of age and temperament, So
ciai and business relations is "compat-
ible." The self-perpetuating board as
sures harmony and consistent policy.
But experience proves that it is not
conducive to progress and to a respon-
siveness to outside opinion and desire.
The title to the hospital is vested in
the Board of Trustees. They are
amendable to no one.
City Has No Control.
Representatives of the public on the
board by the addition of member of
Council and the possession and eXer-
else "of visitorial powers" by the
Mayor gives the people no power in
fact to determine the policy of the in
Gtitution, which has been represented
TO them as their own. AS to the re-
rorts of the trustees to the Council
(made in view of appropriations from
the City's treasury the report OF
Councils investigating committee
states that there has been lack of
confidence and frankness toward that
body on the part of the trustees. There
fore in no real sense does the hospital
belong to the people or has the City
any control of the expenditure of it's
appropriations. The present arrange
ment does keep sectarianism and poll
tics out of the management, but is this
advantage to be secured only at the
cost of such manifest disadvantage?
Further, a condition that the doctors
believe initiates greatly against a gen
eral interest in the institution and
against it's progress is the inactivity
OF numerous members of the board.
Inasmuch as it is the doctors who
plal it is but fair and right that the
management SHOW them consideration
and be responsive to their desires and
suggestions, SO as to secure their &C
tive cooperation rather than a pas
sive interest. The fact that, at this
time the hospital has few patients,
many going elsewhere for hospital at
tsItion, and that the management has
failed to hold the good will of the
doctors and the public, (Which they
had at the time of the dedication, and
which prompted Mr.. Reid to remark,
You have the people with you, now
hold them there" marks the present
administration as failure.
The policy of the Board is to avoid
publicity. The investigating commit
tee states that there has been lack
Of frankness and openness towards the
City Council, toward the public and
toward the doctors on the part of the
Trustees We believe that if Reid Me-
mcrial Hospital is to be in fact pub
lie institution, receiving aid from the
City Treasury there should be the full
est publicity in regard to the affairs
OF the institution.
Are Too Conservative.
The attitude of the trustees individ
ually and as body toward scientific
and modern medicine and toward a
progressive profession is thorn in
the flesh of the DOCTORS Communica
tons from the medical staff to the
board involving vital matters have
gore unrecognized or unanswered. Up
or the appointment of committee Of
three doctors by the board, plans were
prepared for an isolation building fol
contagious diseases, which plans were
approved by DIR. Hurry, Secretary o.
the State Board of Health and Other
qualified persons. But these plan.
were summarily rejected by the trus
tees for other plans prepared by the
superintendent that We're plainly un
suitable and unsanitary. 1t is matter
OF history If not of record, that durins
the Schillinger administration an ap
preparation of $4,000 was secured from
the city on the express understanding
that the trustees would satisfy the cry
ing need by erecting and maintaining
isolation wards for cases of contagious
disease, excepting smallpox. but thi
appropriation was diverted to othe
purposes. There is absence of readi
ness to receive or act upon suggestion
of the doctors in regard to matters il
which by circumstances and expert
ence they are especially qualified t,
know the needs of the institution. S,
it has come to be that the trustee
arc not impressed with the desirable
ity, nay, the duty and necessity of pre-
viding the institution with a bette
equipment of surgical instruments. O
keeping up the X RAY outfit, origina
iy donated and installed by a docto
but now, through neglect, out of CON
mission for the past two years, a
though constantly in demand for dias
nosis and treatment This department
should and would be feature of tn
hospital If the desires and requests Q
the doctors were needed. A patholog
ca. and meteorological department
and clinical laboratory, absolutely ne,
essary for the modern practise of meG
icine, if properly equipped could an
would be conducted by the doctor
we're they given recognition. However
improvements for nurses and emplo,
es, laundry and other matters of tn