The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1934-05-31
CONTINUED from Page one)

alton and segregation IN hospitals,
and against the efforts of philan-
thropists to build Jim crow hospi-
tails IN the North. It has consist
emily fought for a square deal for
physicians. internes. nurses and pa
tients. In the case Of Harlem hos
pital, municipality owned institu-
ton in New York city, which dis
eliminated against Negroes, the
Association took the lead IN organ
izing g committee Of prominent
persons in 1921 to go before the
Mayor and demand fair treatment
The Commissioner Of Hospitals a.
greed finally that colored people
should have representation on the
hospitals medical board.
Following much publicity in the
white and Negro press on the Har-
lem hospital situation, it Is alleged
that consultantg of the American
Hospital Association offered to Sc
cure a $4,000, 600 Negro hospital
4 the Associations activities were
halted. The committee replied that
they were interested in procuring
the right of colored patients, nur-
ses, doctors and surgeons In a mu-
nicipal hospital and not in secur-
ing segregated institution. The
committee secured the services Of
an Investigator and two we'll
known attorneys. AS result of
this action the color bar was low
cred. Negro physicians and nur-
ses were appointed to the Harlem
staff and colored patients were
given better treatment. In 1926
more Negro physicians were put
on the staff and ten colored in
ternes were accepted, marking the
first time Negro physicians were
ever appointed to the regular staff
of metropolitan municipal hospi-
tai.
Following drastic reorganization
Of the Harlem hospital staff in
1880, an even larger number of
colored physicians were added to
the staff and a Negro surgeon, Dr.
Louis T. Wright, became member
and secretary of the medical board
of the hospital.
In 1881 the board Of directors of
the N.A.A.C.P. went on record as
opposed to the plan announced by
the Rosenwald Fund for separate
hospitalization for Negroes in var
ious parts of the country, holding
that segregation IN education and
medical care tends to provide nei-
Their the best opportunities for the
doctors and nurses nor to create
standard hospitals in which the
general health Of the community
depends" It held that Negroes
In the North should be admitted
without discrimination to public
hospitals and that Negro doctors
and nurses should be trained in the
great medical schools and hospitals
according to the general standards
that are applied to members of any
other racial group"
Following unspecified charges by
certain Harlem groups in 1882 a.
gainst Harlem hospital and its adj
ministration, the Association again
arranged to investigate the charg-
es. 1t selected a committee COM
posed of eminent medical men and
laymen of impartiality and stand
ing to make the inquiry. Funds
were made available by the Car
negie Foundation and Mrs. Dwight
w. Morrow Of Englewood, N. J. |
The Investigation got under way
on February 81. 1888. The follow
ing December a report of $4,000 !
words was turned over to the AS
sociation. The report, the most |
thorough and pains-taking ever
made on a hospital, failed to sub
stantiate the vague charges of CO.
Tor discrimination, favoritism and
segregation although pointing out
that the institution was danger
ously handicapped by overcrowd-
ing and lack of equipment and IA
cilities." It held that the hospital
was on a par with other municipal
institutions of the kind in New
York City. After a general sur
vey Of opportunities for Negro in
ternes and nurse training in the
United States, the investigators |
called upon American universities
and hospital authorities to widen |
opportunities for ambitious and |
vwelI-qualified Negro students. The
report win shortly be published |
and will greatly influence the flu
. ture of Negroes in medicine in this
country.