Year: 1861


proceeding of the Board of Supervisors, in ref
erence to the case of the INDECENT Sick for the
present year. l perfectly agree with you in
thinking that very little respect was paid the
medical profession of the county. 1t has been
the custom for many years to advertise for pro-
posals from Medical men for the care and treat
ment of the INDECENT Sick, and certainly
decent regard for the opinion of medical men
to say nothing of the tax-payers-should have
induced the Hon. Board TO give a reason for
departing from the usual method of procedure.
The only pretext given, is that the present
proprietor of the Hospital voluntaril y reduced
his scale of charges from one dollar, to eighty
cents per diem for each patient. Now this is a
very lame excuse indeed, for who knows but
other medical men may have been willing to
assume charge of the Hospital at a lower rate
had an opportunity been offered them.


The history of the action of the Board of
Supervisors as to the INDECENT Sick affairs for
the last three years, is a somewhat curious, and
to tax payers, IAN interesting and instructive one


In the year 1858, there were three candidates
for the post of County Physician, One offered
to take charge of the sick for two dollars day
in cash, The other two bid less amounts in
in scrip, and one of these latter agreed to take
charge of all the County Sick for the gross
sum of s., 800 per am,un.


The contract giren to the highest bidder
for cash. 1t may perhaps be said that the two
ba ito
qualifications prescribed by the statute: but
they did, Both were graduates of legally in
corpOrated Medical Colleges, whether the sue
cessful candidate had a diploma, the writer
does not know, neither does he know the exact
amount of the expenditures for Hospital pur-
poses for that year, but it must have largely ex-
ceeded 0.O00.


In 1852 so far as the writer is aware, the
proceedings of the Board in reference to this
matter were fair and just, always provided they
performed their duty (Which we suppose they
did in ascertaining the possession by the sue
eessful applicant of the qualification prescribed
by the statute, which qualification is, that he
be the graduate of some legally incorporated
College Of Medicine.


In 1850, there were only two applicants; one
offered to take charge of the sick for one dotlar
per diem in scrip, and the other for seventy five
cents in cash; the contract was given to the
former Those who know the cash value of
scrip on the INDECENT Sick Fund at that date,
can draw their own conclusions as to whether
the contract was given to the lowest bidder,
D,,E Al, Il,
time during the last year, has scrip on this fund
been sold for less than eighty cents on the
dollar.


The public has already through the city
prints, learned the method of procedure for
the present year. 1t may be that the system
heretofore in vogue was pernicions one, det-
rimental to the comfort of the sick, and niuri /
Gus to the interest of the taxpayers; and there
is no doubt such is the case. But is the plan
which the present Board has inaugurated an
improvement on the former one? We think not, |
although we have already that the former
one has not yielded the advantageous results |
which the public had right to expect from it, !
still it is not so glaringly open as TIE latter to





In this State, where taxation is SO onerous,
and where remuneration for medical services is /
so proverbially small. physicians as well as 9TH
er citizens have right to demand that expcndi-
tdrc should be reduced to the most economical
scale; and that all, who are legally entitled.
should have an equal chance to share in the IA
vors or patronage of the State or County gov
1t may be, nay, doubtless is true.
that eighty cents day for the care of patient
is reasonable enough; but the question is could
not an equally competent person have been
found willing to do it for less? This question
the Hon. Board has put it out of our power to
answer.


In their late report the Board of Supervisors
have informed us that they have contracted to
have the INDECENT sick cared fer at the rate of
eighty cents per diem; but have neglected to
state whether the agreement is for cash or scrip.
Now as they decided last year that one dollar
in scrip equivalent to seventy-fye cents in
cash, it is difficult to if the present contract
is for cah that any saving in a Tccuniary
point of view, has been effected. We have also
heard it stated that the intention and desire of
the Hon. Board is, to withdraw from the Speci-
al Fund sum Of money, which when added to
the INDECENT Sick Fund, should bring orders on
the latter Fund to cash valuation. Should
this be the case, we are at n loss to see wherein
the treasury has been benefited by the reduc
tion of the compensation of the County Physi-
clan from one dollar to eighty cents even in
scrip.


In order, therefore to satisfy the public that
their recent action has been profitable to the
people of the County, The Board of Supcrvis-
ors, should in a satisfactory manner answer the
following questions.


lst. Have you seen, or demanded sight of,
the professional credentials o the person TO
whom you have con1idcd the care of the Indi-
gent Sick?


I'd. Is the compensation of the County Physi-
clan to be made in scrip or cash?


Sd. Have steps been taken, orr it contempIa-
ted to bring orders on the INDECENT Sick Fund
to cash valuation?


L est it might be imagined that the fore
going remarks are a mere ebuliton of spleen on
the part of a defeated aspirant the writer wishes
it to be distinctly understood that he has never
been candidate for the post of County Physi-
Il