Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-19
GRADY HOSPITAL
FIRE TRAP, SAYS
DR.. E[kIN
Committee Talking for $750,000
Institution Hears Old One
Chased as Menace

a committee appointed by Bishop
g.. *. Nelson TO further Investigate
the necessity for new municipal
hospital IN Atlanta 20 cost about
$3.50 600 and to replace the old Grady
Hospital attacked as n IRE trau
and a disgrace" actively took up the
work assigned to it Thursday and
win report to Bishop Nelson AZ
meeting TO he called later
At the conference held "Wednesday
afternoon in the directors room OF
the Lowry National Bank, and at
which were present committees from
Council. the Atlanta Medical College,
chamber OF Commerce and the board
OF trustees Of Grady Hospital, 1t was
unanimously decided that there IS
dire need OF new medical institution
and resolutions were passed request
ing that committees decide upon
plans OF procedure for placing the
question Of a bond issue To cover cost
pf the hospital before the people AT
HE fall election and also to decide
upon the size OF the institution de-
sired
Working Committee Named.
Bishop Nelson who was response
hle for the meeting and who acted as
chairman. appointed committee
consisting OF Or. W. s. Elkin. dean
of the Atlanta Medical College, A. X.
Golcord, CITY Councilman. Mayor
Woodward, Or. y. G. Jones. OF the
Atlanta Medical College, and r. j..
Foreman. Of the Chamber of Conn
merce. to look into the question or
tho Importance OF such a hospital d.
rect publicity, secure exact estimates
OF the cost Of an adequate instltu-
lion. prepare for the submission OF
the matter to the Council and to
make definite recommendations at
the next meeting.
another committee was appointed
to act in conjunction with the COM
mittee already appointed by the CITY
Council to confer with Fulton County
officials with reference TO making II
Joint CITY and countv institution. On
This committee are Charles $. North
en-. DR.. Floyd w McRae and Or.
Charles r. Murphy.
Plans for modern hospital sufli-
ciently large for the needs of At
ianta were presented by DR.. William
B. Summerall superintendent of the
Grady Hospital His estimate Is
$3.50 000.
Details of Plan.
II calls for an outdoor clinic build
ing with complete laboratories for
research work, laboratory for the city
bacteriologist and chemist. a division
for clinics for both whites and blacks,
emergency operating room and OF
fees for the County Coroner. which
would cost 100000; nurses dormi-
tory, TO cost $4,000, contagious
disease hospital, costing $4,000. two
buildings for the ordinary charity
g.H n "A a
other FOR culored, to cost S250.000:
children's wards, $4,000, boiler
room. Laundry rooms, Kitchen and
orderly's quarters, 50,000; a private
pay hospital $l50000, extra land and
Enclosure $4,000.
A hospital built upon that plan. Or.
Summerall said. would DE adequate
for all purposes and "A credit to the
. city instead of the disgrace which
the Grady Hospital is now. The prl-
vate pay hospital he said, would
more than pay for the maintenance
OF the entire hospital and would in
80 years pay OFF the interest and
sinking fund on the bond issue
Grady Called "Fire Trap"
The recently added private hospital
has given great returns in the short
time il has been in operation, said
DR. Summerall. which leads him 10
believe the larger institution would
net still larger profits At the pres
ent time they are unable to care for
more than one case in ten at the pay
hospital.
Dean w. S Elkin. Of the Atlanta
Medical College, outlined the imme-
dlste necessity OF a new hospital
The Grady Hospital is inadequate,
q IRE trap, unsanitary and men
ace to all patients and the general
public" he said They can't attend
TO even small part OF the cases.
There are about twenty ambulance
calls every day and with the present
facilities IL rs impossible TO answer
only two or three OF such hurry up
calls. At present there is no ma
ternity hospital in Atlanta for colored
women u ie a deplorahlc fact yet
negro women have been picked up on
The street in serious condition. be-
cause Of their inability to get medi-
cal attention anywhere in the city"
Mayor Promises Help.
"A modern hospital would he ore
If the biggest assets OF the city and
would do much TO advertise Atlanta
Other cities not much larger are now
erecting hospitals costing as high as
SIX million dollars. Why can not At
lanta spend at least q million dollars
10 hold her own? A munich
pal hospital would benefit all and the
taxpayers should be willing to stand
the small additional expense"
Mayor Woodward promised his aid