El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-04-28
GET TOGETHER
ON HOSPITAL
City and County Officials
Agree on Care of Sick;
City to Pay Part.

An agreement was reached between
the city council and the county COM
missioners at a joint meeting Of repre-
sentatives OF the two bodies and Of
the Taxpayers association Saturday
morning at the mayors office. where
by the city viii pay TO the county s1.25
per day for each city patient cared
for at the county hospital and Will
also turn the management OF the city
eruptive hospital over to the commits
siOners' court.
This agreement is . tentative one
and will continue for a period OF six
months. starting May 1. II found sat
isfactOry, a permanent agreement VIII
be made. Patients VINO have not re
sided in the city Tor six months ana
in the state for a year. according 10
the state law. are to be determined
city patients. Those that have resided
in the city and county for longer
period are to be designated as county
patients. The patients whom neither
the city or county officials are able
to ascertain The residence period Of
are to be cared for on a $3.50 basis
by both the city and county. These
are cases where patients may be found
unconscious and taken to the hospital
Waive Provision of Statute.
The state law provides that pa
tient of this kind who is taken charge
Of first by the city or county, is its
patient But this was waived by the
city and county officials.
The meeting was attended by mayor
Charles Davis DR.. Hugh :. White and
alderman FRANK 3. Simmons. represent
ing the city. judge F. 3. McClintOck.
Dr. T. J. McCamant and commissioner
r r Lyons. representing the county,
and Charles n BasSett and A Z James,
representing the Taxpayers assOcia-
ton G ". Groom. also represented the
county IS It's SPECIAL attorney
Mayor States CIfy-s Plan.
" men the meeting opened mayor
Davis outlined the plan OF the city
council which was TO pay s1-25 per day
per patient to the county for CITY
patents and 10 turn over the eruptivs
hospital to the management OF the
county commissioners. the agreement TO
extend for SIX months
DR.. McCamant stated he thought this
an ideal plan and one that would prove
satisfactory TO both the county and
city officials.
Asks COnnorS Retained.
Mayor Davis said in turning over the
eruptive hospital 10 the county III.
management and employment OF the
help would be optional with the com
missioners court He said that the city
did not want TO dictate 70 the county
or 10 make any recommendations, but
that the people OF Fl Paso were very
anxious that Thomas ! ConnOrs be re
tanned as superintendent
Hospital staff. Specialists.
Dr. McCamanr said that Fl Paso
county was fortunate in having a staff
Of physicians and surgeons, specialists
IN their work, who were donating
their services TO the county hospital
He said the staff was the most Compel
ent Of any in the state.
Mr. James suggested that when the
Taxpayers. association secures its
auditor from New York that the first
work he should start IS that Of rnakfn--
thorough Investigation into the citv
and county hospital and the cost each
should bear in caring for the patiel
City's Cost S27 900 Yearly.
Dr. McCamant said that on an aver
age the city would have about so
patients In the hospital The mayor
said that he figured the expense Of the
a year.
DR.. McCamant suggested that the civ
and county bear an equal expense in
erecting three or four isolated wards At
the county hospital. He said these
buildings would cost on an average Of
$500 each. He said that at present
there is no place in the city or county
10 care for contagious disease cases.
He said that at present the city IS pay
ing $3.50 a day to care for , patient
suffering from measles because there
was no place 70 take him He stated
The erection OF the buildings would also
result in a decrease Of contagious dis
eases because then the city and county
physicians would be able to isolate tn
cases and reduce the number
Groom 10 Draw Agreement.
Mr.. Groom said that according 10 Law
the city would not have the right to
enter such an agreement because II
could not pay money to establish
buildings on county property. The
commissioners then announced thew
would construct the buildings.
The comm issioners and council then
instructed Mr. Groom TO draw up On
agreement which viii be signed = the
two governments the first OF next
week.