New-York tribune., 1921-04-15
Hospital Told
TOFM Defects
After Hearing
Better Sanitary Conditions
at Willard Parker Or
dered by Health Board
on Patients Complaint
General Conduct Praised
Confidence Is Expressed in
DIR. Wilson and Institu-
tion's Entire Personnel

improvements in the administration
of Willard Parker Hospital, which has
been the object of criticism recently
by former patients, were ordered yes
terday by the Board of Health.
Following a three-hour hearing on
charges directed against certain
branches Of the hospital the board
adopted a resolution embodying these
corrective recommendations:
That the sanitary condition of bath
rooms be improved by the employme mt
of additional help.
That the censoring of patients mail
be made the subject of review with the
idea of modifying the restriction.
That the alleged carelessness of some
OF the nurses be dealt with through
disciplinary action exercised by the
director of hospitals.
Although recognizing the criticisms
and the testimony of the complainants
at the hearing as sufficient basis for
the reforms authorized, the resolution
states that number of the allegations
were founded on misunderstanding of
the difficulties Of administration at
this particular time in all public insti
tutions."
Praises Hospital Personnel
The resolution expresses confidence
in DR.. Robert J. Wilson, director of
the Bureau of Hospitals, and in the
medical board, physicians and nurses
of the institution, and points out that
the death rate per cent--"is lower
at Willard Parker than it is in any
other contagious disease hospital in
the world"
/ At the conclusion of the hearing,
which was not public, DR.. Royal S.
Copeland, Commissioner of Health, de-
clared the criticism and the investica-
ton would result in benefit to the
hospital.
while a number of the charges
were not substantiated by testimony,
those which appeared to have founda-
tlon are not impossible of correction" !"
said Commissioner Copeland 81 think
on the whole the inquiry has done
good Everybody will be on their toes
from now on. | am very glad to say
no charge was made against the medi-
cal service accorded at the hospital.
1t also was brought out that the criti-
cism of the food and equipment was
grouneless. We hope, to correct any
effect the sense of the resolution. So
far. as the charges of carelessness
made against some of the nurses is
concerned, they have been left to DR..
Wilson for solution"
Four women, who had been patients
in the scarlet fever ward of the hos
pital, testified at the executive hearing.
They were Mrs. Marie Stabo. of 45
West Eighty y-fourth Street; Miss Lotti-
mer, of 1923 West Eighty third Street,
and two other women whose names
Roop, of Upland. Pa, who charged that
her daughter did not receive proper
attention and food while patient at
the hospital last January, was not
present. 1t was said she is in Ber-
muda.
Patients Criticize Care
Mrs. Stabo repeated the charges she
made in a letter rejecting upon the
sanitary condition of the wards and the
performance of duty of some of the
nurses. The other former patients sup
ported her charges.
George W. SAKE, of 529 East Eighty
fourth Street, testified that his wife
had been accorded excellent treatment
and service while patient at the
hospital.
Fifteen nurses, including those whose
names were mentioned in the letter of
Mrs. Stabo, were questioned by Dr.
Copeland, Joseph A. Faurot, Deputy
Commissioner of Police, representing g
Commissioner Enright, and by DR.. Lee
land F. Cofer, health officer of the
port. DR.. Wilson outlined his method
of administration and declared that
much of the criticism was without
basis. He was supported by DR.. John
Berg, president and secretary, respec-
lively, of the medical board. DR..
Thomas W. Darlington, former Com
missioner of Health, represented mem
bers of the medical profession to whom
Mrs. Roop had sent copies of allega-