Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-03

ering the President OF the City Council 10
vote the stock Of the city in the Whitewater
Canal At the election on the 7th Of January,
1861. Adopted. .''t y a' -
The special committee to whom was re-
ferred the subject Of admitting students to
the Commercial Hospital, submitted long
report nom which we take the following
I. "Tbe first singular fact presented in this
investigation was this; That while the city
of Cincinnati has TO assume the RESPONSE
bility Of the management of the hospital; is
compelled to furnish all the supplies aud
pay all its expenses, IL still has no control
over the most important part Of the whole
institution, namely, the medical department.
The. State of Ohio, while contributing but a
small amount toward its construction,
nevertheless retained the entire control of
this and transferred it to the Medical Col
lege Of Ohio. By law passed january %,
1921, entitled AN act establishing Com
fnercisl Hospital and Lunatie Asylum for
the State of Ohio there was appropriated
by the State Legislature the sum of $4,000
for the erection Of said Hospital and Luna
tic Asylum. But the sum thus appropriated
was composed of such peculiar funds that
but about s., 600 were realized from them.
This fund was placed in the hands of the
Trustees Of Cincinnati Township, and they
were required by the law to provide grounds
not less than four acres in extent, and to Sc
lect suitable brick buildings for the recep-
ton of all patients who might be brought
there. They were to assume the RESPONSE
bility of the management of the hospital
and provide for its future support by levy
ing taxes upon the citizens of Cincinnati.
But the Trustees were debarred from exer-
cising any control whatever over the med
ical department, which, by section eight of
said act was made the duty of the Faculty
of the Medical College of Ohio, who were TO
furnish all the medical and surgical services
necessary, and have the privilege of admit
ting the students of their college to the
Hospital practice upon such terms as they
might choose 10 prescribe. The Faculty
were also given the power to appoint an
apothecary or house surgeon. This control
of the Medical College of Ohio over the
Hospital was again confirmed by an act
passed December 81, 1926, entitled, IAN act
TO incorporate and establish the Medical
College of Ohio.
"Thus it will be seen that to this college
was given the entire control of this depart
ment of the hospital, and to it their students
alone were admitted for the purpose of wit
Messing surgical operations and the practical
treatment of the various diseases there to ba
found-a practice of incalculable benefit to
the students of medicine. After some time,
other medical colleges were established, and
an effort made to have their students admit
ted to the hospital upon the same terms with
the Ohio College. Accordingly au act was
passed by the State Legislature, February
26 1889, authorizing the Trustees of Cincin-
natl Township to admit the faculty of Gin
cinnati College to an equal participation, in
the medical and surgical supervision of the
hospital, with the Ohio College; also, pro-
viding for the admission of other colleges
upon certain conditions.
sin consequence of the Cincinnati College
failing TO carry out the provisions of this
law, or rather their failure to accent its
terms, the law has become dead letter, and
the Ohio Medical College still continues to
enjoy all the benefits of hospital practice,
while all other medical colleges in our city
are deprived of that very large advantage of
a medical school. A large and very respect
able portion of the physicians of the city
protest, and have for a number of years pro-
hospitai' y '"'
"As it is undoubtedly the duty of the legis-
lative authorities to encourage institutions of
learning so also is it their duty to encour-
age ali alike, making no invidious distinc-
tions. While it may have been perfectly
proper to give to the Medical College of
Ohio the supervision of the hospital she
now enjoys, at the time of its establishment
and the early days of the college, times have
changed--the same reasons do not exist.
Other schools have grown up, and are at
present filed with students striving to ac-
quire the knowledge necessary to alleviate
the sufferings of mankind, and to them the
experience acquired by hospital practice is
as essential as to the students of the Ohio
College. In this the public generally are
equally or more interested than the colleges,
for the reason that if physician starts out
unOD his Dranfipa vvithnnt havinor bad 4ba
experience of practical treatment of dis
eases acquired in hospital, patients who
| are so unfortunate as to require his services
must suffer until he acquires that experience
he should have at the commencement No
| student of medicine should ever receive his
diploma without having first had certain
amount of hospital instruction. In some
parts of Europe, every physician is required
to have several years hospital experience
| before he is allowed to commence practice,
and it should be so in this country. Our
hospitals should be free to every student OF
medicine, under proper restrictions oi
| course, for in them they would receive the
most important part of their instruction.
'There has been no intention in the sug.
gestioDs just made to find fault with the
other Medical College or its arrangement oi
the medical department of the hospital
They have performed their duties there a:
/
college would have done. But we take the
broad ground that the hospital should b.
open to all the schools. 1t is not right tha
the Legislature should foster one college tC
the injury of the rest. Especially when thu
people of not only our own, but other com
munities, are interested in the result, and 81
much of human suffering and misery is a
4 stake. Your committee, entertaining thes,
views, considered what steps should be taker
to arrive at the desired result communica
ton was addressed to the City Solicitor
inqpiTing the extent of the legal control 0
| the city over the Hospital, and what lega
steps were necessary to be taken to acquire
complete control. He reports promptly anC
cheerfully ia a communication, marked A
accompanying this report. Council will fnC
in it matters of much interest pertaining t
this subject. -azJ
"AccompaDyingathi report will also b.
found a paper marked (B(, being a history o
the subject given by the Directors of the Cit
lnfImary, and showing the Inconvenience
that arise from a conflict of authority IN thu
different departments of the hospital; also
the evil effects such diversity of authority
has upon the prosperity of the Institution
as well as the actual loss to the city. 1t will
be found we'll worthy aperusal.
"After due deliberation, it was decided
that it was right and proper, as well as 70
the best interests of all concerned, that tn
city of Cincinnati should have the entir
control of the institution, and would there
fore recommend the adoption of the accom-
panying resolution. -.--
SAMUEL B. HIRST,
IU5.sr "TH0MASlH. WEASNER,
j. rr JACKSON NJ. NOBLE,
I I st-.. uOorn m ittaa