Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-30
DEATH OF IMBEGILE
CAUSES REFORMS In
CITY INSTITUTION
Elarte Puts End to Loose
Practices in Philadelphia
Hospital Following Scald-
ing ofGirl.

Director Harte issued orders today to
the officials and attendants at the Phila-
delphia General Hospital that henceforth
no irresponsible person at the institution
be permitted to take charge OF any pa
tIents at the hospital old or young. in
the absence Of nurses or regular attaches
The Director also issued orders which will
result In reforms at the Institution.
Director Harte's order followed an in
vesugation made by him into the case
of l0-year-old Clara saltzbcrg. an Inn
beetle, who died at the hospital on De-
cember 90 after having been scalded
Christmas Day while being given a bath
by Beatrice Guilbert an imbecile negro
woman.
The child. the hospital authorities main
tain, died as a result of pneumonia, which
she contracted Immediately after the
bath.
a post card notice of the death was re-
ceived Tuesday morning by Mrs. r.
Salt2burg,. of S29 South 9th street mother
of the little girl. 1t read as follows:
Dear sir or madam: beg to in
form you that Clara Saltzburg died at
1920 a. M, December 26, at the Phlla-
delphia General Hospital"
A Christmas entertainment for inmates |
of tho hospital was under way while the |
child was being scalded, according to her |
mother The latter says Clara had been |
In the hospital four months and had |
gained perceptibly In weight and |
strength.
BODY TAKEN HOME.
Mrs Saltzburg was not permitted to
see her daughter Christmas Day. Thurs
day being the day for visitors at the hos
pltal The body OF. the child was taken
home yesterday. and the Coroner's in
quest was held today. No one was pres
ent when the child died. 1t Is said, but
the ward nurse.
Referring to tho result OF his lnvestiga-
tion of the case, Director Harte said to-
day:
THE facts In the case are that these
two patients became attached and devoted
to each other, and the negro girl had
been in the habit of feeding Clara and
taking care of her for some time past.
"On the occasion In question. the negro
girl picked Clara up and carried her into
the bathroom and placed her in the tub.
while the nurse was engaged at the other
and of the ward
Beatrice evidently then turned on the
water with a key, which has always been
Kept in the nurses desk. but on the day
N question had disappeared and was
lnly found after the accident The key
$ never kept in the bathtub, but on this
occasion apparently had been mislald so |
hat Beatrice could turn on the water,
which she did in bathtub with an inlet
rom the bottom.
Evidently there was a sudden gush OF |
lot water. which caused the child to
cream, whereupon Beatrice apparently {
lad a convulsion, and when the nurse |
ushed to the bathroom to find out the [
ause of the child's screams, she found |
lara sitting In q dry bathtub and
Beatrice recovering from an epileptlc {
eizuTe. /
CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA.
"The child was taken into the ward and
he burns dressed, which were of the t
econd degree of Dupuytrens classica- I
ion. In 81 hours she developed pneu-
lonia, and succumbed to the dlesase in u
bout six hours. !.
Am effort was made to notify the
riends, but II was found that this being I,
Juvenile Court case, the records were Z
the hands of the Social Service Dlv- !.
ion, and consequently there was con- .
derable delay in obtaining the child's
ddress.
81 have given orders that all cases. no
latter of what character must have the
ames. address and history, entered as Y
1on as admitted, so that the relatives
an he notified Immediately in case of
impending dissolution or sudden death.
after n careful personal investigation, @
see no reason to cersure ANYBODY Tor o
MS unfortunate accident, other than il
ne ability TO carefully guard the key, 81
} that 1t shall not fall into the hands "
irresponsible persons. which 1t evil
emily did on this occasion"