Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-30
APPEALS TO WOMEN.
Asked to Unite in Efforts to
Save Columbia Hospital.
PETITIONS TO BE SIGNED
Posted at Women's Clubs and Bust.
ness Houses-Plan to Secure q
New Building.

Copies of the appeal by the board OF
lady visitors Of Columbia Hospital to
the women Of Washington, urging them
to unite in an effort to prevent the
threatened abolition Of the institution
through failure by Congress to appro-
pirate funds for its. maintenance. today
will be posted for signature at all the
women's clubs in the city. Other meas
ures for the retention Of the women's
hospital were considered this morning at
a meeting of the board Of lady visitors,
Mrs. II. w. Fitch, the president. pre-
siding
Copies of the petition will be posted at
such of the department and such other
stores, including Woodward and Lo-
throp's. S. Kanns Sons & Co. Golden
bergs. Dulin and Martins and the Palais
Royal. as were selected at the meeting,
and an effort will be made to present an
appeal signed by all the women possible
at the next meeting of the Senate Dis
trict committee.
Is Splendidly Equipped.
An effort also will be made to interest
the wives of the committee members in
the case of the hospital for it Is asserted
despite the fact that 1t is housed in an
antiquated and inadequate building, is
equipped to do better obstetrical and
genealogical work than any similar in
stitution in the country.
Members Of the board of directors Of
the hospital have decided that since the
question Of the hospitals value to the
city has been brought up they will make
a strong appeal to Congress for the
$a0O.OOO they say has been needed for
years to replace the old building with a
modern structure.
In connection with the controversy
raised over the method by which the
hospital Is supported. the directors and
the stan of surgeons quote report OF
DR.. s. S. Goldwater of Mt. Sinai Hos
of the greatest hospital authorities in
the country. He says the system that
has been in force in Washington of pay
ing the hospitals certain sum per day
for all the charity cases treated in the
house is in use in New York and the
other principal cities Of the United States
and Canada, and is regarded as the best
system that can be devised.
Loses on Charity Patients.
Under it the hospitals actually earn
all the government money paid for them
In the case OF Columbia the amount
paid. $11O a day, does nut, it is said,
cover the actual cost Of caring for the
patients. and the hospital loses on an
average of 10 cents q day on all the
charity patients cared for, but there are
pay patients that help to make up the
deficit.
1t Is believed. by. those interested in
the affairs of the hospital that the pres
ent controversy will result to the benefit
Of Columbia by showing its quality as
one of the best special hospitals Of the
country.
At the meeting 1t was also decided to
place as an advertisement in the local
a coupon petitiOning Con-
Sress to continue the hospital till such
time as a modern building can be erected
on. the site. These coupons have a space
for signature. and are to be signed
and mailed to the board Of lady visitors,
Columbia Hospital. They will be shown
In bulk at the next meeting Of the Sem
ate District committee, and afterward
will be presented by q subcommittee Of
the board to President Taft, when he
returns from his present western trip.