Evening star., 1932-02-13
CAPPER MAY ASK
HOSPITAL INQUIRY
Removal of Dying Reporter
From Emergency Stirs
Senate Leader.

A full report from Emergency Hospi-
tai on the manner in which one of its
/ lnterneS handled the case of joseph
, SlSk, Baltimore News reporter, who died
February 3 after being transferred in a
patrol wagon 10 Gallinger Hospital. may
be requested by Senator Arthur Capper.
chairman of the Senate District Com
mittee, he said today
! Capper said he probably would re-
quest the report be obtained either by
the District Committee or by the sub
committee of the Appropriations Com
mittee which will consider the District
appropriation bill.
A report of the results of an inquiry
launched by the Surgical Board of
Emergency Hospital already has been
made, it is understood. and is now in
the hands OF DR.. Harry M kaufman,
secretary of the hospitals Executive
Board, preparatory to being transmitted
TO Woodbury. Blair, president Of the
board
! Transferred to GalIinger.
S:sk, with Frederick K. Long. another
Baltimore reporter, was brought to
Emergency Hospital January % after
an automobile accident on Rhode Island
avenue at the District line and ordered
transferred to Gallinger Hospital, where
he was taken in patrol wagon. He
died at Gallnger five days later
The Emergency Hospital report on
/ the case shows the diagnosis as in
/ toxication, possible fractured verte-
brae. abrasion of the left elbow. His
stomach was washed out and blood
! pressure and pulse reported normal
The report card quotes Sisk as having
told OF drinking at several places. and
adds: Routine examination neg. meg
atiye) except for slight abrasion left
elbow. Complained abdominal pain
! more than anything else. Abdominal
examination showed abdomen soft. No
localized area of tenderness"
The report at Gallinger, to which he
was removed at 2:25 am. shows the
case TO have been diagnosed as inter
nal injuries. in critical condition" "
adding Impossible to get correct
statement from patient. Said he had
taken two or three drinks but was not
drunk and could not give account of
accident" This report came from the
night supervisor on duty when Sisk
was brought in.
X-Rays Bare Injuries.
Later in the morning. when the pa
tents condition permitted, X-rayS we're
| taken to develop the exact nature of his
injuries These, it was said at the hos
pital this morning were fractured pelviS,
fractured ribs. ruptured diaphragm
punctured lungs and bronchial pncu-
monia, which, presumably, developed
lit Of the other conditions.
The report made by Pvt. Frederick R.
Rabbi of No. 5. who was in the patrol
with Sisk on both trips, says he was
treated for alcoholism and injured
back, condition undetermined, at Enler-
gency, and later removed to Gallinger
Hospital, where his conditicn was said
to be serious
3. B. SandiGge, superintendent at
/ Emergency Hospital, said the circum-
stances necessitated Sisk's removal to
Gallinger, and that conditions being as
they were the use of the patrol was
proper Sisk needed a police guard, he
said.
"One of our best men went over him
| (Sisk) as thoroughly as he could" Mr..
Sandidge said, adding that Sisk had
caused a great deal of trouble by being
''obstreperous" in the emergency room,
and that it had been necessary to hold
him on the table while the physician
ws5 treating him.
Mr.. Sandidge said that had the pa
tient been in different condition he
probably could have described better his
symptoms.
Emergency has three rooms available
for patients who cannot be placed with
other patients in a ward because of
their condition. Mr. Sanddge said. but
these were full and consequently Sisk
could not be cared for. although, Mr.
Sandidge says, if it had been apparent
that his condition was critical he would
not have been removed
| Mr.. Sandidge emphasizes that he
feels everything possible was done by
the hospital to help Sisk.