New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-05
Washington Heights lnsti-
tutiOn's Condition Gives
Doherty a Shock.
BABIES NEVER PUT
IN TUBS, HE SAYS
Head Of Medical Board Makes
Brooklyn Infants
Declared in Peril.

Appalling conditions found by in
vcstigators in the Washington Heights
Hospital, SOP and 55a West l65th
Street, were described yesterday by
Deputy Commissioner Of Charities W.
J. Doherty at the inquiry into state
charities being conducted by Commits
sioner G. II. Strong in the Bar Associa-
tion building.
There was filth everywhere, accord
ing TO Mr.. Doherty, who inspected the
institution. which IL housed in two old
three story and basement residences.
The State Board Of Charities approved
the hospital II received $4,000 from
the city last year.
Three beds were allowed in the male
medical ward" the Deputy Commits
sioncr testified. but a cot had been
crowded in. Dirt was on the bedclothes
and the walls. An indescribably loath-
some bathroom, in the corner Of which
was an open garbage can, opened into
the ward.
an tho operating room there was
general collection Of dirt and rubbish,
and several dirty dust cloths were lying
on the operating table. Twenty pa
tients crowded the dirty little .dispen-
sary in the basement, and the treat
ment room in the rear had no sanitary
equipment II was provided with
rusty sink. At night, we learned, the
porter used the place as bedroom"
Ice Box in Rubbish Heap.
Mr.. Doherty said that the kitchen
was filthy and the ice box stood among
piles of rubbish in the back yard. AN
open can which contained milk he
continued. stood near the wall OF the
house. there was sim supply o.
food in the hospital, and We later DIS
covered that there were only ABOUT
SIX bushes Of coal for the furnace.
The LABORATORY was htthy Dusty
bottles lined the shelves, ana under
dirty table dust-laden TN bathtuO
was found. An attendant said II was
me UhDleN labf W. it'fN'e' -
showed that the babies were never
tubbed. They were sponged with wa
ter from a small basin.
Fire threats were everywhere. rub
bish OF the most .nhammab.e nature
being discovered IN every corner.
Mr.. Donerty said that after his in
spection he denounced the hospital as
fire trap and a menace 20 the health
8 . mn prllnR that
Il be closed. The Board of Ambulance
Service gave it thirty days m which
70 reform. with the alternative OF los
ing it's ambulance district, but IT ~
still receiving patients. The witness
said that most of the directors OF the
hospital resigned after the report was
issued. He characterized it as one
man institution. the one man being
Dr. {. {. Sichel. head of the medical
board, chairman of the executive com
mittee and chief surgeon.
Direct examination of Mr.. Doherty
concluded with his testimony concern
ing conditions at the Cherry Tree In
dustrial Farm and School OF the Sal
walton Army at Spring Valley, y. y
The city appropriated $4,000 for the
institution in 1915. though but one OF
the children in the school was public
charge.
40 care was taken Of the children"
he said, "and they were given no in
dustrial training and little schooling
OF eighteen children examined the
heads Of five were crawling
Mr.. Doherty sad that the Depart
ment of Charities stopped commitments
70 the institution, but the state boards
inspectors made no objections TO the
place.
Menace of PGuperism.
The REORGANIZATION Of Mr.. Do
herty was conducted by John NJ
Bowers. attorney for the state board
In reply 70 one question the Deputy
Commis sioner said that If the flow Of
pauperism from generation to genera
tion was to be stopped more must be
done 70 educate the children in the
institutions TO be self-sustaining.
And If you are going 10 check the
increase OF criminals and mental de
fectiyes,' added Commissioner Strong
Mr.. Doherty admitted that be real
lied the financial handicap unde-
which most institutions work. IT'S
going TO be difficult to set up stand
ards for every institution" he de-
clared. II find some people who con-
tend that the public should do nothing
more tlan 70 give the children the
bare necessities Of life.
In the case Of a number of institu-
tions | fully realize the fact that the
city ia not paying enough, but many
institutions are not giving fair value
for the money paid
Upon reading a blank certificate Of
the state board handed him By Mr.
Bowers, Mr.. Doherty said he saw that
the board certiiies only that the spec-
fed institution "has fled with the
board in due form certificates that the
said institution has complied with the
rules Of the board for the reception
and retention OF inmates"
IF the certificate means that you
certify to nothing but that aiiidayits
have been filed with you, il is no good"
was Mr. Dohertys comment.
Abraham Oserof, a member Of Mr..
Doherty's advisory commission, testi-
lied as TO the conditions Investigations
revealed in St. Benedicts Home for
Destitute Colored Children at Rye, y.
Y. and the Brooklyn Nursery and In
fants Hospital, 1876 Herkimer Street.
Brooklyn. At the former institution.
he said the buildings are poor, I'M
sanitary and squalid: no vocational
training Is provided, fire drills are
unknown and some OF the sleeping ar
engagements are shocking.
The witness condemned the manage
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