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

the 0S81o BOARD or charities ana cor.
rections holds that there have been
naSrant violations Of the rules adopt
ed by your board covering the con-
duct Of Maternity hospital, and that
In consequence OF this "the Maternity
| hospital should not be allowed to
continue to operate"
Under state law and city ordinance
II IL my duty to revoke the license
| OF any such institution when the
accommodation Of the said board Of
charities and corrections is with
| drawn. Neither state law nor city
ordinance requires that the said board
should, give any reasons for such
recommendation. 1t nevert h e . 3
would seem to me only fair that
should know on Just what grounds
your action was taken. In fact,
| must confess that cannot understand
why / was allowed to get from the
afternoon papers on Monday. the
| 18th inst. my first intimation that an
investigation OF this institution had
| Deen going on for many weeks and
tnat, as shown by the findings of your
| board, conditions as brought out by
this investigation were so serious that
| nothing short of the most radical ac-
| ton could satisfy tho ends of JUS
| tice.
.OnCc UnSpeAkahy bad.
| As you we'll know. the condition Of
institutions of this kind a few years
ago were unspeakably bad. This ap-
piled to every such institution in
Richmond. AS you further know.
the Joint action of your board and
the Richmond health department has
so corrected these conditions that, in
stead of in infant death rate ap-
| proximating one hundred per cent
| (Which was the condition found at
the start. the infant mortality has
been lowered to a point where It IL
less than for babies as q whole In
the city. You have frequently stated
| to me that you regarded our results
as quite extraordinary, and that you
! regarded my personal work as the
chief factor in bringing about and
| maintaining better conditions II
! you had cognizance for weeks of
violations OF health rules. am at an
utter loss to understand why the mat
/ ter was not reported TO the Rich
i mond health department for inyesti-
cation and correction.
Since this matter was brought To
my attention through the newspa pers,
/ have. as you know. visited this in
stitntion with you. and our head
nurse has paid a number OF addi-
! N*SHsha fAStA1. WIG lhfC pGtn unable
/ to ipd any conditions pretudicial TO
the physical welfare OF the babies OF
such seriousness as to demand revo-
cation of Mrs. Braggs license on this
score. Certain unfavorabie conditions
were found. as II the case In connec-
ton with all institutions under in
| spection from tim eto time, which
were not what they should be, but
which were rapidly correctable for
the most part
Does Constructive Work.
II is the aim OF the Richmond
health department to do constructive
| work II. for example. every dairy
farm which was at any time found
| In violation OF the rules OF the de-
| partment had been Immediately put
out of business, there would literally
not have been one remaining to sup
ply the city OF Richmond with milk.
/ Our course. however, has been to get
those things corrected. little by little,
until the present excellent condition
| OF our milk supply has thus been
brought about.
! / beg 10 direct your attention to the
fact that the resolutions adopted by
your board on yesterday are of the
most Indefinite character, so far rs
your reasons FOR revoking the permit
| OF this institution arc concerned. ]
understood from you personally that
your real reason was that you and
| your board did not consider those
| who conduct this institution to be
proper persons for work OF this char
acter. Judgment on this point, ana
| others OF a coEnate nature. have, by
mutual understanding between US,
been left always to you and your
| board. and have never feit II to
be the duty of this department to
pass on morals. except where. per
| haps there was go intimate a rela-
| ton to health that the two could
| scarcely be separated.
| think that, In Justice to this de-
partment and to me personally. .
public statement should be mate by
| you covering the most important Of
the above points, and I am sure that
your sense of fairness will cause you
to agree with me. As to the nature
| OF this statement. I would like TO srx-
gest that you make 1t plain that such
departures from the sanitary rules as
we have found were Of nature sucn
| as one nnds from time to time. and
such as are to be dealt with by In
| sisting on their correction and not
by revocation OF license. and that the
real reason tor revocation Of this II.
cense by your board was your judg-
ment a. to the unitness Of those at
/ itS head for work OF this kir3.
would further like you to state that
have never said to you that found
nothing out OF the way. As a matter
OF fact. have made this statement
70 no one, but have most distinctly
stated that I have found no evidence
OF criminal neglect or Of the sensa-
tional charges made In the public
press.
Very truly yours.
tSigned) e. c. LEVY,
Chief Health Offfcer.
DIR. Mastfn's Reply.
DIR. Mastin's reply to thel letter OF
the chief health ofYicer explains:
Feb. %. 1917.
Or. Ernest c. Levy. chief health Of
ncer. Department Of Health,
Richmond, Va:
My Dear DR.. Levy have your
communication OF today In reply to
mine OF yesterday, In which en-
closed copy OF resolutions passed by
the state board OF charities and cor
rections with reference to the Ma
ternity hospital at 400 East Clay
street.
You ask on what ground the board
acted In resolving that "the Ma
ternity hospital should not be allow
"a m ~orttpuA ~ oparofA~