The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-06
ALL ADMIT CITY
NEE D S HOSPITAL
But Question of Accepting Me-
mortal or Building One Is
Not Yet Determined.
PROBLEMS TO CONSIDER
Council Committee Requests In
spector Beck to Secure Ger
tain Information.
PROBLEMS TO CONSIDER

The offer OF the Memorial Hospital
Ito the city on certain conditions. and
! me alternate plan for the erection OF
n public free hospital. were informally
discussed last night by Joint subcom-
mittees from the Committees on Relief
Oh tne Poor and Finance. No formal
action was taken. as the members de-
sired additional Information. Mem
berS VINO had been over the Memorial
property with Building Inspector Beck
and contractor Ancarrow. VINO erected
the building, reported that il was a
Inoaefhly constructed hospital. in good
order. Mr.. Beck was OF tho opinion.
however. that TO take out the corridor
NAILS TO enlarge the capacity OF tho
wards would be expensive, and might
weaken the structure and that II was
hardly practicable to raise 1t two or
more stories as had been suggested. The
at. $50 beds. which. by crowdlng and
some Encouragement. might be in
creased TO It's.
re eAll M, Of f., this space is designed for
committee was confronted with the
necessity OF providing an even larger
number of beds for coiorcd patients,
with contagious wards and quarters
:or nurses. none OF which the present
hospital provides
Two-Thirds Are Colorcd.
The present daily average of uaticnts
at the City Hospital Department of
the CITY Home was stated TO be l1y
would mean forty white patients
brought from the Alnshouse. and re-
ports showed that the SheItering Arms
hospital was now treating an average
from Richmond the Memorial twenty
free white patients per day, and the
Retreat for the Sick two free white
pImsnfs per day: Figures from the
mas free patients from this city In
the event OF the operation by the city
or free public hospital, all such
eases would expect To be taken care
OF by the city. With the Increase mat
might normally he expected. every
physician. of general practice having
TIses which refuse. 10 go to the City
Aimshouse attachment. II was csti-
mated that The fun capacity of the
present Memorial would be none 100
much Tor the normal number of white
paucnts TO be treated at city hos
pital, To condemn land and add
hTeproof building FOR co1orcd patients
win AT least as many beds rs the
present hospital, with an annex for a
nurses home and provision for diph-
therla scarlet fever and other wards.
was roughly estma ted a; from s25o,-
geo 70 100000 On the other hand
Of onlnion that complete new city
hospital for 200 patiants could bc
erected for not more than 100000 the
cost of large public hosnitals olsc-
where having been shown 10 be abou,
1000 per bed, allowing for oneratInr,
acmihlstratlon and all other necessary
, sGmipm sIHa ooo The Memorial Hospital
S25o,ooo, and is offered to the city on
condition that 1t assume the mortgage
Of $4,000, thc Present owners ana the
city Jointly TO name the mana cling
board
Nny Provide Poor For,,
The discussion was general ana In
formal as 70 the cost OF operation Of
sneh an institution and Other factors
OF the situation. \ plan advanced
some, years aso by state Health Com.
missioner Ennion q Williams. when
a member Of ne. City. Council. was
being that all paupsrs. indisents mar
alyt!cs. aged and !ncurable inmates OF
the Aimshousc nc transferred 10
poor farm. to be located on city prop-
healthy conditions they could contri-
butte 70 their own support through
gardening and other ways. and that
sufficient amount b. expended on tho
present City Home property 10 remodei
and equip It as ~ emergency city hos
pital FOR whit ana colored ratieuts
WITH contaGiious. wards. provision FOR
treatment Of tube1nlosTs. with opcr-
nunE facilities. making IL a thorough
" modern and up-to-date property.
with ambulance and emergency ser
IL
rnent and control from the AImsiious.
which would then he located entirely
NJ INC noor farm in the county.
The plan presented many advnn
tages IN the minds Vi members or thc
committee, both rs providing iNoa,
conditions Tor paup.rs and as giving
tho cit" AZ adequate hospital at less
cost than any other plan proposed
The discussion Of all Of these p,ans
WAS Informal. and the committee al!
journed after requesting Building In
sprctor Reci to secure certain intor-
son OF the cost or the various MIR
nate propositions the ono hasis ~
open asrccnent boins that the citv
stands IN need ~ n we'll snu,pn-1
pnnilt hospltal. entirely tI.Darats
rom Tie Nmshousc and operatcd
without the odium which. In the mines
o. some, attaches 10 the inmates Of
such an !nstitutipn
Irlc1 To CnrAe Ills Nifr