The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-05
THE CITY HOSPITAL.

the Dlsuict OF Columod III thefe ever was u choi
ity, this is one-as all know, who familiar with
the restitution, distress, and disease combined,
which are TO be found in every city Of even our
country. 1t has been often said by the philanhro-
pist, that Washington is far behind every other
town in the Union Of its size, in we-organized eff
forts to relieve those who in the midst of want, are
stricken down by disease. Shall we be longer sub
ected to this sad reproach when, by promptly step
ping forward with "a 1.-THE of the charity SO noby
dispensed by citizens in private to aid the gen.
erous and self-sacrifcing exertions of the faculty,
and the liberality of Congress in this good work,
we can provide for the sick poor equally as well, if
not better, than is done in any part Of the Union'
The far-famed Pennsylvania hospital is the pride Of
Philadelphia, as the Charity hospital is Of New Or
leans. 1t alone depends the contributions of our
citizens to make this institution equally as proud
monument of the philanthropy and good judgment
of Washington.
TO THE CITIZENS OF THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
The undersigned, on the part of the medical facul
ty of the Columbian College, beg leave respectfully
to represent to the citizens of the District ofCoum
bia that, about twelve months snce Congress placed
under the charge of the faculty building, which
they have arranged hospital for this city and
District.
This institution has now been in operation for
nearly year; and if properly sustained, bids fair
TO become ornament to our city, and blessing
to the diseased and afflicted of our District
Since its organization, more than one hundred pa
tents have experienced the benefits of medical and
surgical treatment within its walls. Among them,
severe and critical cases have been relieved, and nu
merous delicate and important surgical operations per-
formed. The suffering and afflicted poor daily pre-
sent themselves at its portals for relief and hereto
fore their calls have been attended to by the medical
faculty having charge ofthe hospital building. Their
diseases have been examined and treated, medicines
dispensed TO them, and good lodging and attentive
nurses provided for them, with no other compensa-
ton to the faculty than the consciousness Of having
contributed their services to relieve the suerngs of
their afflicted fellow-beings, and with no other OBJ
jects than such spring from the motives of phian
thropy and humanity
But in pursuing these efforts to establish for this
District an institution important to large and UNI
fortunate part of its population, the faculty have
certained that the sacrifices and pecunary RESPONSE
bilities too many and too heavy to be borne by
the few individuals who compose it. The knowl-
edge of the existence and objects of the hospital hav
ing extended, increased demand for admission
into its wards has been made; and the small sum
which is required from the few who are able to
ter as pay patients is not more than barely sufficient
to pay for their maintenance, while those who are
poor to advance this sum cannot be admitted I'M
less at the direct expense Of the few gentlemen who
compose the faculty Of medicine. This pecuniary
burden Is too great to be sustained by them. ltcan-
not, indeed, be expected that having furnished
building as hospital, and having extended their
professional services to those who enter 1t without
the slightest pecuniary remuneration, they should
also advance the means which are necessary to lodge
and board and provide medicines and nurses for the
patients who may require their aid. Unless there
FORE their fellowcitzens come to their assistance,
and are willing TO second and support their humane
views in the establishment of hospital for this Dis
trict, their philanthropc aim must fail.
The immense benefits accruing to the poorer and
stranger population of any city, by the establishment
of properly conducted hospitals, we presume
will for moment question. The absolute necessi.
ty for such institutions IN every city of any import
is too well established to require any argument
from us relative to their utility But in order that
some idea may be formed of the great importance
which, in other countries is attached to the encour-
agement Of hospital charities for the INDECENT
classes Of society, and for strangers who may be
struck down, when far from their homes by the hand
of disease, we would simply present fact taken
from a statistical work ths subject
Ii is stated in Galignani's Directory of Paris that
in that great metropolis sail the places of public
amusement, except the French opera, pay tax of
ten per cent on their receipts towards the support of
the hospitals, and nearly fourth OF the du-
ties collected at the barriers is devoted to the same
levied on every piece Of ground purchased for the
purpose of burial in the cemeteries" When il is
known that the principal part of the revenue Of this
great city is derived from the entrance duties paid
its BARRIERS and when also the immense receipts col
lected from its nnumerabe places of public amuse-
men for which the taste and fondness of its inhab
itants proverbia, is taken into consideration, with
the burial tax alluded to- and the large endowments
of wealthy and philanthropc individuals, some esti-
mate may be formed by the citizens of our quiet
tropolis, of the munifcent protection and watchfu
which extended to the diseased poor city
where gayety and pleasure constitute, with the ma
jority of its people, the principal objects Of life.
Without however, entering into the details Of the
benefits and comforts that well-conduced hospital
is calculated to dispense to very large class of
community, and believing that there are none who
will deny its utility and importance to our District
we should suppose that feeling of human pride
would induce citizens to sustain and foster the
institution advocate. Where is the city town
in country, of any importance, that cannot boast
of its hospital sustained either by its corporate au-
thortes or the liberaty Of its private citizens And
yet in the metropolis of this Union, and in District
containing population of about fifty thousand souls
no attempt has ever been made to establish such an
institution, until the medical faculty of the Column
bian College, appealing to the beralty Of Congress,
have at last obtained building as we'll calculated
for the comfortable and successful treatment of the
sick, we proud to say, as any which our sister
cities can present.
But in reply TO these suggestions relative to the
necessity of hospital for our community, it will
perhaps be sad that places for the reception of the
poor are provided in the alms-houses of the Dis
trct.
To the better informed of our citizens, it would
be needless to say word relative to the unftness-
not to use harsher term-of ams-houses for the
reception of those classes Of patients for which hos
pitfalls in all other cities provided But to those
who have not reflected ON this subject, or who are
r ~ A r.l-
ferent institutions, will say few words in regard
to the difference between them, and they can then
draw their own differences. The alms-houses of our
District are appropriated to two purposes The
first is the support and protection Of paupers and
the second the punishment Of Migrants and those
who commit minor offences against the laws Of the
corporation, too petty be taken cognizance of by
the criminal court. Some provision, it is true, is
made by our corporate authorities for such sick as
may occur among these two classes of persons that
we have mentioned. But the very lowest and most
degraded class of paupers--those who have no
other shelter and protection than they may find in