New-York tribune., 1922-10-23
Veteran Dies;
Hospital Not
Clean, Charge
Representative A. b. Ross
dale Declares Sea View
Institution Unfit, Fol-
lowing Mems Complaint
To Inform Hylan To-day
Superintendent Denies Ac-
cusations and Another
Congressman Disagrees

Albert Johnson, of 625 Jackson Ave
nue., the Bronx, tubercular overseas
veteran, died without medical atten-
tion last Friday night in Sea View
Hospital, Staten Island, amid unsani-
tary conditions, according to charges
made yesterday by Representative All
bert B. Rossdale, of the 23d New York
Congressional District in the Bronx.
Mr.. Rossdale, accompanied by Rep
resentative Isaac Siegel, inspected the
hospital, a city institution, yesterday
on complaint of sixtyseven tubercular
veterans, under treatment there at gov
ernn,ent expense The Congressman, it
was declared, found conditions SO un-
clean and food so poor that Mr.. Ross
dale said last night he would call on
Mayor Hylan this morning and demand
betterment.
I'VE found that men who are able to
walk around are served, army style,
food unfit for human consumption, and
that they take this food on dirty, rusty
iron trays to their beds to eat it," said
Mr.. Rossdale. ''The beds are unclean
as result. took one Of the food
trays back with me and will show it to
the Mayor.
Only One Doctor There
"We found that only one doctor is on
duty at the hospital and that he works
days. AT night the patients have no
| medical attention. The boy who died
without medical aid was from my dis
! trict. The doctor arrived half an hour
after he was dead of hemorrhage.'
A blanket denial of Mr.. Rossdale's
charges was issued by the superinten~
dent of the hospital last night, when
he was informed over the telephone Of
| the statements made by the Congress
man. Mr.. Siegel did not agree with
! his colleague from tho Bronx. He said
that everything about the. wards was
! bright and shiny, and the food that he
| had seen was good-so good that the
veterans urged him not to. consider it
a sample of what is usually served to
| them. He was positive that the hos
pital, authorities had had no warning
of his visit.
The Harlem Congressman said that
conditions probably would be improved
if small tables for six were put in the
wards to do away with the bedside
meals, and that inasmuch as many of
the boys come from upstate cities it
would be wise to allow them more than
thiry-six hours leave every two
months to let them get to their homes
He added that he meant to take up
difficulties the patients have had in
getting their proper compensation with
the Veterans. Bureau, but declared that
if Mr.. Rossdale complained to Mayor
Hylan he'would do SO alone.
Ex-Service Men Complained
The visit of the two representatives
4 to Sea View was prompted largely by
letter sent to them over the sigma
ture of sixty-three Of the seventy.
three ex-service patients, in which the
invalds complain bitterly Of the fooe
which was served to them. ::
1--WE call your attention to condition!
at the above hospital" they said. "Tht
breakfast foods either contain worms
or hair or are musty. The fruits arr
poor and are badly decayed Most o,
1t is served rotten. The meats art
very dirty and on the verge of spelling
when cooked Foods often contain
reaches. The potatoes are not prop
erly cleaned.
"The chicken served on Sunday otter
is improperly picked and contains
feathers Cabbage often contain
worms and reaches are found in tn,
, bread"
Meals are described detail In th
letter which concludes:
'"The above conditions have prevented
our recovery. DR.. Kramer has beel
notified and has promised to have con
ditions bettered but no change ha
been noted. The Veterans Bureau als'
has been notified, but nothing has beel
done. 1t is Impossible to put up will
this nj longer: We, the undersigned
ask to be transferred to some plac
where we will get decent food. ALI o
us are losing weight because we can
pot oct Oroner food