The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-25

mediately. The next morning I went
to you and suggested that we Jointly
conduct an Investigation.
Usually. ~ you will recall. rep
resentative from my office and rep
iting together the institutions over
which we have joint supervision: but
occasionally. when matters pertaining
exclusively to sanitation and health
were to be investigated. you did not
feel that It was necessary for rep
resentAtive of the board Of charities
to accompany your officers: and the
same has been true with the board Of
charities In case Of alleged violations
Of its rules governing the qualifications
OF persons in charge OF these institu-
tions.
agree with. you that conditions In
most institutions Of this kind (not all
OF them) were very bad a few years
ago, and believe that the improve
ment Is almost entirely due to the
good work which you have done as
chief health officer, because the board
Of charities would have been helpless
to remedy conditions without your
very efficient cooperation.
am satisfied that the sanitary and
health conditions found at the Mater
nifty hospital during our recent In
pvestigation were of themselves not
such as would make 1t advisable to
close the institution. The unfavor-
able sanitary and health conditions
disclosed were not OF such a serious
nature as to require drastic action, but
were such as could and would have
been corrected.
Very sincerely yours,
J. r. MASTIN.
Secretary.
Writes DIR. Rosebro.
DR.. Levy then requested DR.. b. VI.
Rosebro. who has been placed In
charge OF the babies in the home, to
make known the sanitary conditions
OF the place. The following is the
request:
February "a, 1917.
DR.. r. NJ. Rosebro,
Richmond, Va
Dear DR.. Rosebro:
! On last Wednesday, the 21st inst.
I asked you whether you would be
willing to take over the medical care
of the babies at Maternity home in
view of the existing situation in re-
gard to that institution. You respond =
ed favorably. and have for the past
three days assumed medical control
of the babies.
This period of time has. I imagine,
| been sufficient for you to have formed
a pretty correct idea as to the physi-
/ cal condition of the babies at the time
when you took charge. Information
on this point would throw consider
able light on the question Of whether
there have been any continued vio-
lauons OF important health condi-
tons or neglect Of the babies.
with therefore greatly appreciate
| having from you a brief statement as
to the condition of the babies found
| by you. and. furthermore. I would
| like to ask that from time to time
you will report to me anything which
you find at this institution which In
not all that II should be and which
! IL lies In our power to have correct
ed Your daily visits place you in far
better position 10 see these things than
our head nurse, who cannot possibly
stitutions as you are at present de-
voting to this particular one.
Very truly yours.
fMxned) f. c. LEVY.
Chief Health Officer
DR.. Rosebro's Reply.
To which DR.. Rosebro replied yes
terday:
Richmond, va. Feb. -. 1917.
DR.. r. C. Levy. chief health officer.
Richmond, Va
Dear DR.. Levy.-Your letter OF
February "a has Just been received.
Acting on your letter OF February Fl,
| I Immediately visited the Maternity
hospital. accompanied by DR.. Stern.
medical inspector OF the city OF Rich
mond, and Mrs. Clarke, head nurse
Of the health department.
I found the physical conditions OF
the infants in the Maternity hospital
generally very good for institutional
babies. Only one case Of serious Ill
ness existed, and Il Is my opinion
that this condition had been present
only a few days This infant suffer-
ing from empyema following pneu-
mon.a Is at present in Memorial hos
pital for treatment
found nothing In the physical
condition OF the infants in the Ma
tcrnity hospital to Justify belief
that there has been neglect or In
sanitary conditions OF such nature
as to necessitate closing this institu-
ton.
Very truly yours 20
tSfgned) b. NJ. ROSEBRO.
22os Monument avenue.