An Act Providing for the Establishment of a Civil Hospital at Manila

October 1, 1901

ACT NO. 247

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CIVIL HOSPITAL AT MANILA

SECTION 1. There shall be a civil hospital at Manila which shall be known as the Philippine Civil Hospital. HTcADC

SECTION 2. In the admission of patients, preference shall be given to officers and employees of the insular and provincial governments and of the city of Manila. Emergency cases among other civilians shall be received at the hospital and treated free of charge until such time as they can safely be removed. Civilians, other than civil officers and employees, may be admitted for treatment up to the limit of the capacity of the institution, under such regulations as may be established by the Attending Physician and Surgeon and the Commissioner of Public Health and approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

SECTION 3. The Civil Hospital shall have wards and private rooms. Patients who desire private rooms shall pay for them at the rate of not less than ten dollars nor more than twenty dollars per week, the exact amount to be permanently fixed for each room by the Attending Physician and Surgeon. Medical and surgical attendance, medical supplies, nursing, and food shall be furnished to all patients, except emergency cases, at a uniform charge of one dollar per day each: Provided, That the charge of one dollar per day may be remitted, in view of the circumstances of the patient, in accordance with regulations to be adopted by the Attending Physician and Surgeon and the Commissioner of Public Health, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.

SECTION 4. The Attending Physician and Surgeon, the Assistant Attending Physician and Surgeon, and the dispensing clerk, appointed under Act Numbered One hundred and eighty-nine, shall become the Attending Physician and Surgeon, the Assistant Attending Physician and Surgeon, and the dispensing clerk of the hospital herein created, without additional compensation. There shall be in addition to the foregoing, the following employees in the hospital:

(a) A superintendent, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one thousand two hundred dollars per year;

(b) A Chief nurse, who shall receive compensation at the rate of nine hundred dollars per year;

(c) A dietist, who shall receive compensation at the rate of six hundred dollars per year;

(d) Four trained nurses, who shall receive compensation at the rate of six hundred dollars per year each;

(e) Four ward attendants who shall receive compensation at the rate of six hundred dollars per year each;

(f) One cook, who shall receive compensation at the rate of three hundred dollars per year; aScITE

(g) One assistant cook, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one hundred and eighty dollars per year;

(h) One ambulance driver, who shall receive compensation at the rate of six hundred dollars per year;

(i) One driver for market wagon, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one hundred and twenty dollars per year;

(j) Four servants, who shall receive compensation at the rate of ninety dollars per year each;

(k) Two laborers for the hospital grounds, who shall receive compensation at the rate of one hundred and twenty dollars per year each: Provided, That there may be temporarily employed such other servants and laborers as may be deemed necessary by the Attending Physician and Surgeon and approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

SECTION 5. The superintendent, the dispensing clerk, the nurses, the dietist, the ward attendants, the cook, the assistant cook, the drivers, the servants, and regularly employed laborers shall be furnished food and lodging on the hospital grounds free of charge. DETACa

SECTION 6. The Attending Physician and Surgeon shall have direct supervision and control over the Civil Hospital and shall appoint all its other officers and employees and shall define and supervise the discharge of their duties. He shall visit the hospital at least twice daily, and he and the Assistant Attending Physician and Surgeon shall render all necessary medical and surgical attendance to the inmates: Provided, That should the number of patients become so great as to necessitate additional medical attendance the Attending Physician and Surgeon may, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, appoint a house surgeon, who shall receive compensation at a rate not to exceed one thousand dollars per year, who shall live on the hospital grounds and shall be furnished board and lodging free of charge: Provided, further, That patients occupying private rooms may employ, at their own expense, other physicians to attend them. Physicians not attached to the hospital staff who may attend patients in private rooms shall conform to the rules and regulations of the hospital.

SECTION 7. The Attending Physician and Surgeon, the Assistant Attending Physician and Surgeon, and the dispensing clerk shall continue to discharge the duties prescribed for them, respectively, in Act Numbered One hundred and eighty-nine: Provided, That the office and the operating room of the Attending Physician and Surgeon and the dispensary shall be transferred to the hospital building and that all surgical operations for civil officers and employees and for members of their families shall be performed in the operating room of the Civil Hospital, except when the Attending Physician and Surgeon shall deem it advisable to perform an operation at the home of a patient. The Attending Physician and Surgeon is hereby authorized to direct the transfer to the Civil Hospital of all civilian patients who in his judgment can best be treated there, and he shall not be compelled to treat any civil officer or employee or member of his family who shall refuse to go to the hospital when so directed.

SECTION 8. Disbursements for the Civil Hospital shall be made by the disbursing officer of the Board of Health for the Philippine Islands.

SECTION 9. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred. HEITAD

SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, October 1, 1901.