New-York tribune., 1921-04-08
Copeland Will
Probe Willard
Parker Hospital
Woman Whose Daughter
Was Scarlet Fever Patient
Charges lnsanitary Con-
diiions at the Institution
Alleges Unclean Food
Saws Beds Had No Mat
tresses and Place Was
Cold, Poorly Ventilated

Asa result OF criticism Of conditions
IN pavilion cf the Willard = Tarker
Hsspital, at the foot of East Sixteenth
Street. Commissioner of Health Royal
( Copeland has asked DR.. Robert J.
wilson. director Of the Bureau of Hos
pitals, to make a full report regarding
the service accorded patients at the in
s.isution. which is devoted to the treat
ment Of contagious diseases.
Commissioner Copeland based his
action upon the complaint of Mrs.
Nary c. Roop. Of Upland. Pa. whose
daughter. formerly social worker
here. recently was a patient in the
scarlet fever ward Of the hospital.
Mrs. Roop made known her grievance
in detailed statement, copies of which
she sent to leading specialists of this
city. who in turn transmitted them to
the Board Of Health.
Commissioner Copeland said he in
tended thoroughly to investigate the
criticism. bat believed it TO be unjusti-
fed and expressed confidence in the ad-
ministration ct Director Wilson
Noman's Charges
Mrs. Roop. in the statement concern
ing the alleged experience of her
daughter, makes these charges:
she was taken Ill and called a ply
sician, who soon suspected scarlet
fever. This doctor suggested the hos
pital for contagious diseases as the
best solution Of the difficulty, saving
that the patient would have the best
os care there. A Department OF Health
Inspector was called. Scarlet fever was
me verdict and an mbulance was sum-
moned. 4 nurse who came along told
the patient that she could take nothing
Of her OWL 70 the hospital So. clad in
hospital pajamas, slippers and blanket
no scockiags-the patient was drive n
to an Italian quarter, wfere z small
boy-|as gathered up and placed beside
her
Arrived at the hosaital, she was
taken to d ward with sixteen so-called
beds These beds nave no mattresses.
hut pad made OF Z folded blanket and
a sneet over a woven wire spring. In
an excited and shocked state of mind.
TO say nothing Of the abnormal physical
condition. she lay down TO pass q wake
ful. restless night. In he morning she
vas given filthy comb, used by the
other patients to comb ner hair. This
she refused 10 use until 1t had been
dipped into an antlsept-c solution. Fre-
quent requests for bathing gauze and
other reasonable needs were entirely
unheeded Nurses on night duty. al
though lo1aly called, often did not re
spond
Dirt and Cold
Children. babies and adults colored
and white, occupied the same ward and
the humblest women complained of the
L fhT state OF bathroom, foul odors.
ci'tV 1o9rs and windows poor ventila-
Ji1r nd rao little heat. A tenlpera ture
Of ty degrees and scanty clothing
i,r ngalescents caused colds and
rheumatism.
VIM criticism or requests were
made. all alike were told that this is
ch rity haspital,' or by an official
tat these patients were guests of the
city When an outcry was made by
tne more Intelligent against the censor
i1g Of outgoing mail by nurses and
doctors with the remark This is like
a prison, doctor returned, Tt is d
prison.
What prisoner or charity patient
should be given food with worms, string
and absorbant cotton in it? And what
person or city, think you, could be
worthy the title Of host who would
permit such food p In reply to written
criticism 10 the director, he wrote
that
We Will do anything we can with