The Washington times., 1916-01-03
.SAN|TAR|UM TO FIGHT
EFFORT TOCLOSE It
Chevy Chase Trustees An
nounce They viii Resist. At
tempt to Revoke License.

~''rN w ttSNSNS A-tVSIIoSs
The trustees Of the Chevy Chase SAM
tarium announced today they will fight
the attempt of The District Commits
sioners to revoke the license of the in
stitution. They issued the following
statement:
THE members Of the boa rd OF trustees
of the Chevy Chase Sanitorium state
that after careful consideration Of the
action of the Commissioners in attempt
Ing to revoke its license. at the instance
of residents of the ncighborhood who
objected to its presence, they have de-
termined that II ~ their duty to the
patients of the institution under treat
men, to the officers of the institution,
and others interested in 1T, including
they believe a considerable portion OF
the medical profession of the District.
to resist that action by all proper and
legitimate means in their power. Ac-
cordingly. the Sanitorium will continue
to receive and treat patients, unless.
and until, the action OF the Commits
sioners shall receive the sanction and
approval of a court of competent turis-
diction.
The trustees aer convinced that the
objections of those who seek the reto-
| cation Of the license of the institution
as well as the action Of the Co, liniS-
| sinners. are bpsed largely, II notalto-
rcthrr. OF = miscon' option of tho char
acter OF the insutition the belt-' being
apparently entertained that 1t is what
/ IL commonly called nm insane asVlunt.
| Such Is not The fact Less II an one
half q tho patients who hav" been
! treated -ahont 2o0 IN number-haNs sur
tho others hsI ing been treated for Va.
! rious physical and nervous Diseases.
When the charges ac'in.t II were made
tho officials OF tho institution promptly
! requested the Commissioners 10 direct
! the Health Officer Of the District Of
! COLUMBIA to visit. ldSOect and report
uuon the character OF the patierts h"in ::
I treated. the methods OF Treatment and
, the conduct nf tho instIti:tion. This re-
} quest was not complied with.
! Inspected Only Once.
/ Then the Commissioners themselves
were urged to visit the Sanitorium. but
they failed to do so. In the two wears
OF its existence. although expressly sub
| jectb to official inspection by the In ".
" has been visited only once by the
| Health Officer. or any or h,s deputies,
and then an inspector. IL the abser .
OF the superintendent, called and sN-
amlned its books and sanitary condi-
tions. and, il is understood. made n
! formal report that all requirements Of
| fully met.
Now. however. the Commissioners.
with no suggestion Of complaint hv
the health officer. and without anv ef-
fort whatever to officially verify the
| charges made against the institutio On.
undertake to revoke its license. appar-
entity giving no consideration to the teS-
: timonv given before the Assistant Cor
porston Counsel who conducted the
hearings. by some OF the most distinC-
uished physicians OF the District. many
I OF whom visit the Sanitorium from tine
| to time while In attendance upon patti
ents they send there. md some Of
whom have carefully inspected the IN
stitution. concerning the character or
the patients. the diseases for which
they were being treated and the re-
moteness Of the buildings from neigh
! boring houses. which testimony indi-
Gated with the utmost "learness mat
the objections which had been made.
based upon alleged noises emanating
from the institution could not possibly
have any foundation In fact.
! The CHARGE that there had been es-
canes from the institution was shown 10
bo equally baseless for the very good
req son that anV Datient who wanted ~
leave the institution hns nerfecN right
TO do so. There never has been com
mitment OF anv insane n"rson. or anN
person. sane or insane. to III" sanitoriun
| since it's establishment. and without n
commitment no hospital or sanitnrium
| in the District has any legal right 10
prevent a person from leaving 1t at WI
/ Anv attcmnt to do so would render the
officials Of the institution liable for falls"
abandonment Every patient who has
been admitted to the institution has
come there voluntarily and has had the
right TO leave when he nle"S"d and go
! where he pleased. Most of them who
have left have returned to their homes
| In tho CITY of WASHINGTON and are now
there Hence. what has beon said about
escapes has simply been idle talk.
Question Boards Power.
The Commissioners have apparently
fallen into the error OF believing that
they have the power to revoke the IL
cense OF private hospital or sanitor-
ium II its mere presence offends the
| sensibilities of the residents of the
neiGhborhood and their idea seems to
be that. II 1t does so, it is a nuisance.
The officials OF the Chevy Chase Sani-
torium from the outset have denied
have any such power. and say that
what the law permits cannot OF itself
he a nuisance. They also say that what
is or is not nuisance i judicial
question. which can only he determined
hv duly constituted judicial tribunal
n il were otherwise, property in the
District would be held on very pre-
carious tenure. They decline 10 be
bound by the Commissioners idea oi
what nuisance is-especially when II
Is contrary to that of the Commission
ers' legal advisers. whose opinion or
the subject accords with that OF the
officials OF the sanitorium and theil
counsel"
, The trustees of the sanitorium arc
Charles Cowles Tucker, DR.. r. r
""io McCarty Hanger and ]. Miller
Kenyon.