St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1953-01-30
BY ALFRED MAUND

BY ALFRED MAUND
10 On March 6, 1861, Mrs. EN-
ma Dangerfield, critically i'll, was
brought to Jefferson-Hillman Hos
pital in Birmingham, Alabama.
Her Negro doctor, not allowed to
practice there, had made arrange
ments with white doctor to meet
her. Both physicians understood
there was a bed available. Her
husband brought money for adj
mission fees-and the patient had
insurance.
But, "then began a series of
tragic happenings" to quote the
Birmingham News Of March 25.
"The husband was informed
that he must make a cash deposit
of 500 before his wife could be
admitted. He had $50 in cash
with him, but was told he must
produce $50 more. He called his
employer, explained the situation.
The concern informed the hospital
that IL would stand good for the
second $50 and that a check for
that amount would be delivered to
the hospital the next morning.
Nevertheless the patient was
refused admittance. II was the
understanding of her doctors, of
her husband and TO her friend that
she was refused because her hus-
band could not produce 500 in
cash at the moment"
After lying in the stretcher for
over two hours, the patient was
put back in the ambulance and
taken home. Her husband was told
to bring her back to the hospital
the next morning when he was to
have 500 in cash.
1.-THE patient was never return
ed to the hospital. She died at ap-
proximately 8 o'clock the same
night -. little more than an
hour after being returned to her
home"
The News interviewed the hos
pital administrator.
He "made the point the Jeffer-
son-Hillman already had unpaid
accounts on its books of more
than $500, 900 and 1t does not wish
that sum to be enlarged II it can
help t."
He denied that there was a bed
available for Mrs. Dangerfleld.
There's" he says, "a limit to all
things There are approx
mately IT'S beds for Negroes :.
OF that number, ~ are for private
pay patients. On :. the day in
question, (he) indicates there
were AZ private Negro patients in
the space normally taken by 81"
The News reporter apparently
did not think to ask II there were
any beds available in the white
wards con the day in question"
IL. In October, 1851, Mrs Sinia
Donaldson Of Memphis, Tenn,
was sent home by John CASTOR
Hospital after a doctor there had
informed her she was Gin the
early stages of labor" She didn't
even have time to reach her bed.
On the front porch of her home
she gave birth to twins, one Of
which died of strangulation by
umbilical cord. II was three hours
before help arrived from the hos
pital This was the bitter fruit of
a policy by the city-owned insti-
tuition which DEGREES that Negro
maternity cases be only treated
90 Oul-pdlAthtS.
Indeed, Lawrence Dean. the hos
pital administrator, was anything
but contrite about the incident
"She disregarded previous in
structions by coming to the hos
pital," he declared. "She had been
told that her baby would be de-
livered at home and that when the
time came she was to call for a
home delivery team at the hos
pital :. There is no indication of
medical negligence" (Sources:
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
October 8. 1851; Associated Ne
gro Press.)
IL. On November 10, 1851, Ro-
bert Dorsey Smith was struck
down by an automobile in Gal
weston, Texas. He was taken to
John Sealy Hospital. a unit Of the
School Of Medicine of the Univer-
sity of Texas.
After examination and treat
ment, Smith was discharged, al
though he was unable "to get
fully dressed" when he left-his
shoes and wallet were later found
in the hospital. The police started
to drive him home but halfway
there they let him off with about
nine blocks to walk. Early the
next morning he was found dead
in an alley not far from where he
had got out OF the police car-his