St. Paul recorder., 1953-01-23

Fisk University, and three stu
dents became involved In an auto
accident on the outskirts of Dali
ton, Ca. Miss Derricotte and Miss
Nina Johnson, a Fisk senior, were
critically injured.
Three white physicians admin
istered first aid treatment in their
homes, then took the women TO a
"house where Negroes are sent in
emergencies" Completely uncon-
sidered was the modern, publicly
supported Hamilton Memorial
Hospital at Dalton. When asked
IL any effort had been made TO
gain admission at that institution,
one Of the white doctors replied in
surprise, "Oh no, ma'am. You see,
we don't have any wards for them
there"
Subsequently, although the in
jured women were clearly in a
grave condition, an ambulance had
TO be summoned from Chattan-
ooga, SO miles away, to take them
to a hospital there.
Miss Johnson died that night
Miss Derricotte the next day,
(Source: The Crisis, March, 1882. }
3. In March, 1882. a 17-year old
Negro girl, with a bullet wound in
her head, was denied admission TO
two hospitals in Washington, ID.
c.: Sibley Hospital and Homeo.
pathic Hospital.
Finally she was taken to Freed.
mans Hospital, but was dead on
arrival. (Sources: Washington
Tribune, March 4, 1882: Negro
World, New York, March 10,
1891 Thirteen years later Sib-
ley Hospital. a church supported
institution, was the scene of an
other unseemly episode. A Negro
woman, in labor, was denied ad-
mission to the emergency ward.
As a result, her child was deliver
ed on the cold windswept side
walk outside. The hospital staff
did supply a sheet to cover the
mother and child until the NUM-
cipal ambulance arrived to take
them off. (Source: Survey Gra-
phic, January, 1947)
4. In March. 1887, the wife of
w. c. Handy, Father of the
Blues" was taken TO Knicker-
booker Hospital in New York
City, suffering from a cerebral
hemorrhage. Her admission was
delayed, however, while the fol-
lowing phone conversation took
place between a hospital business
office representative and Mrs.
Handy's physician. DR.. Farrow r,
Allen:
Doctor, you did not tell us
that the patient was colored," .
Color has nothing whatsoever
to do with 1t. gave the diagnosis
and symptoms over the telephone
and that was all that was neces-
sary.
I'VE do not accept colored pa
tients in our private wards, and
since you did not tell me that she
was colored you misrepresented
that case"
II do not think you are capable
of thinking and I hope you would
not put a person at the point of
death out into the street"
After Mrs. Handy had been left
alone in the ambulance for nearly
an hour, the hospital finally ac:
cepted her. She died a short time
later. (Source: Amsterdam News,
March 20. 1877
5. On April rs, 1947. the Clark
College track team was travelling
to Nashville for a meet. At Pei
ham, Tennessee, one Of the two
cars in which they were riding
was struck by a truck and COM
pletely demolished. Two students
were seriously injured.
An ambulance took the pair to
Manchester, Tennessee, about II
miles away. where they were de-
MED admission to the city hos
pital on the ground that the hos
pial was full. They were carried
back through Pelham to the hos
pital at the University of the
South. a distance Of 30 miles.
Here. because the hospital was
full the Negro wards were