, 1873-07-19
THE NEW COUNTY HOSPITAL.

A1vord to tho County Com issi ioncrs.
To To Editor qf Tbs Chicago Tribune;
Sins: Since tho project for now hospital
building was broached, somo months ago, tue
Board Of Commissioners have boon obliged to
listen to an immonao amount Of alyico and In
struotion through tho papora, as to tho rosition
OF tho city on tho hospital question, tho kind Of
structure neodod, and tho way to do tho whole
business. Without question, tho Commissioners
hAyo boon all the whilo as anxious as any other
oitizens to haya dono what Is right about hos
ptta, and hnyo It dono In tho right wny. 1t la
no ohilda play to detormiuo just what the
county moods in this regard. and 1t Is perhaps
loss essy to learn just how to do what ought
TO bo dono. Now TINT tho question sooms
.eettled In all mtndg that We mood moro hospital
facilities, and TINT wo require them at onco, tho
Commissioners havo certainly mhdd commend
nPlo progress in practical direction. Bids
hhVe been received, We aro told, Tor the sale Of
ground for hospital. What those bids aro, OF
ho 2e ns0E S 0v1 as as yS s11si soa the pspss pa
handling the most, tlelloato subject and doing
tho most important act Of all.:. Unquestionably,
thoro will b0 tho same sort Of wire-pulling mud
that piece Of property tint 70 have W.T.
n.essod' In +. the r. purchase of lots for
other public, purposes In :. timos past.
The men who offer Iand to the county for h0spi-
til grotnd expect to make money by tho aale !;
Of oourse oaoh will leave no .atone unturned to
soil his particular lot, and eyery traot will bo
proved tho most valuable and proper for tho
county to have. ::
But thore aro ccrtain considerations whioh,
In this connection, tho Commissioners cannot
t1rat-We ought to have for hospital q large
ot: Not square-foot loss than eight aores will
suffice, and our growth In population in 1vo
yeara will Rhow that ton or twelve aeros iB not
too much. We must have. eventually, soveral
oontinuoasly. Il our our space Is small and cramp- ri mp
ed, It will DO doath to tho patients,
as.it ia now, In tho old hospital, disgusting to
tho neighborhood about the place and genorally
had, and with the buildings in tho center aud
ample space all about them, and with lawns, md
trees, and flowers, and froBh air, tho aok would
find home and not prison. tho residents con-
tttguoua would regard it aa an. advantage rather
it. Look at the Boston City HOSPITAL Situated
IN ono OF tho finest portions Of tho city it ia ro-
garded by al as IN ornament, almost rs 1puch as
9 park would bo. and nobody is afraid Of con-
tracing disease BY passing it. Tho reason is, 1t
secoHaGThae lot should bo high and ID
dfy: It would improve tho property
IN the vicinity quite as much II the lot ciosen
we're low and damp. but one chief objection to
the Arnold street location is, that it is low, wet,
Ind filthy by necessity. Wo cannot, in con
ecience afford to benefit anybody'a swamp at tho
expense Of the lives Of tho sick. A high, dry lot
nlone affords the salubrity hospital should
hayo-give it to us. We want good drainage
md immunity from mould and mAlaria---high
ground H1ssst bc secured.
Third The future hospital must bo central in
aocatty-that iH, near tho geographical centre Of
our vast populated region. or d. much 80 az iB
consistent with tho hoalthfulnoBs OF tho placo
end the county purse. It would be clearly
brutal to 1ocate tho hospital in any suburban
place, and compel tho transportation Of half tho
Crushed, maimod, and sick from Hix to twelve
milos. It might bo economy in one way, for
half OF them would die In the cnrttng and tie
county would bo saved further oxponso; but in
tho Wow that human lifo is worth something, 1t
would DO inhuman.
There nro many other minor considerations
that should have weight In determining this
question, considerations that refer to tho care
aud welfare Of tho sick. Tho professional
knowledge Of our first physicians viii, Of course,
DO sought; and, II the Board dosre the most re-
liable counsel, they cannot do better than go to
the distinguished stalT Of professional gontlo-
mon who have charge Of tho County Hospital.
But the thrao points urged nbovo-it requires
no. doctor to te1l us, but only good sense-
should govern the Board in their decision. 8.