Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-07-31
DR.. MEEKER'S
RULE SUBJECT
OF ATTACK
Or. Gray, Successor at SAM
tariun, Charges That Con-
ditions Are DepIorabIe.
MEETING CALLED OFF,
BUT REPORT GETS OUT
Deposed Official Comes Back
by Laying Blame on Health
Board-Says He Resigned.

Further charges of mismanage-
ment against DR.. John L. Meeker,
former medical director of the Board
Of Health Sanatorium at Verona, and
Miss Edith Riley, former superin-
tendent and head nurse in the .insti-
tuition, and which are contained in a
report which inadvertently came to
light last night, add a new angle to
the troubles which have beset the
board and the institution for the past
few weeks.
The charges were made in the re-
port of DR. Thomas N. Gray, the new
head of the institution, and which
was to have been submitted to a
meeting of the tuberculosis commit
tee which was to have been held last
night at the sanatorium. Owing to
the inability of DR., Theodore Teimer,
chairman of the committee, to be
present, however, the meeting was
called Off DR.. Gray's report, though,
which he wanted held until the meet
ing on Monday, got out.
DR.. Gray's report holds out hope
for better conditions. 1t states that
in two weeks he has accomplished a
big Improvement and declares he be-
lieves results can be accomplished
which will lead to the fulfillment of
the larger vision ] have of a Newark
free from indigenous cases of tuber-
culosis." This, the physician asserts,
is likely, despite the faults in the
building itself, which he states is not
ideal for Senatorial work. In the re-
port many of the structures faults
are pointed out. DIR. Gray embodies
in his report many suggestions for
the improvement of the property and
,f he 1afl 41 Nf ts,ar f1N1 tx1
stitution. He is confident that econ
omy is among the improvements pos
sible.
DR. Meeker the former medical d.
rector, who Is so severely scored, de-
clared today that he had nothing to
say in regard to the charges of mis-
management. Concerning the condi-
tions of the building and the improve
ments said to be required he de-
clared that he had made suggestions
and recommendations for such i'm
provements in the fore part of the
year. but that these recommendations
were never considered by the Board
of Health. In this he laid the blame
on the health commissioners.
DIR. Meeker further said that he
had rendered his resignation July 20,
while the records of the committee
show that he and Miss Riley have
been suspended.
The committee was scheduled to
meet last night. but when DIR. Theo-
dore Teimer, chairman of the COM
nittee. was called away. it was de-
cided to put the meeting over. The
meeting had just been called to order
when DR. Teimer notified the members
that it would be impossible for him
to stay.
Administration Criticised.
"At the sanatorium," DR.. Grays
report reads, I'VE found chaos of ad-
nninistration; the evidences of in
competence and neglect in the dis
satisfied and hopeless attitude of the
patients: patients in poor condition
and with an added handicap of di-
gestive errors, the result Of cras,
crude. unscientific feeding; unkempt,
uninviting and depressing surround
,ngs and approach in deplorable con-
dition.
Looking back to my first two or
three DAYS at the sanatorium, 1t
seems almost inconceivable that so
great a change for the better can
have taken place in two weeks The
chaotic administration is changed to
one smooth, systematic and friction
less. The inefficient help are now
RlVlQR BOOu StINlCt WIN HCW SPll IT,
doing their part toward making the
sanatorium efficient.
"A betterment of the diet has also
been accomplished by the substitu-
ton of clean, full -nutriment value
milk for an unclean, below -valte
nutriment article incidentally, the
reorganization of the diet has led to
a saving of al quarts of milk a day
and from 121a to 13s4 dozen eggs
daily"
There is need of another nurse at
the sanatorium for night duty. Miss
Ross, one of the nurses, has expressed
a wish 10 take over this work, and
If this Is done, I would suggest that
the additional nurse be pupil nurse
at small salary. An inferno is also
needed The individual attention we
propose giving the patients will entail
a lot of detail work which the resi-
dent physician should be able to hand
over to another"
Repairs Needed
"The building needs lot of at
tention, particularly from a car
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