Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-05
THE MEDICAL FACULTY.
Objections to iheir Plan for = City
Hospital.

To the Union and American:
1t was announced in your issue of May
3, that at the next meeting of the Board of
Common Council, the present week. the
bill accepting the propositions OF the Medi-
cal Faculty, in regard to a city hospital
would be considered:
Since the publication OF the bill referred
to, in your columns, have heard many ex-
pressions on the subject, from various citi
zens and taxpayers.
Some of the wisest and most prudent
doubt the feasibility of attempting z city
hospital at present, while the city debt is
so heavy and the necessities of the corpora
ton so great.
Some. who are most interested in the
general sanitary condition of the city, and
the comfort Of all the people, contend that
in place OF a city hospital, Tor a few dozen
people, the city should at once improve its
waier-works, so as to furnish to all the in
habitants; within lie bounds, pure and
wholesome water, in place ofthe slaughter
house, lanyard and paper-mill washings,
out of Browns Creek, now pumped into
the reservoir.
They would have such improvements
made as might supply, at least some kind
ofwater, to the hydrants in the higher Parts
of the city, Fer more than two or three
hours of the day, and plenty of the same,
TO shops and factories, without the necessity
of taxing them to death for water priyi-
leges.
Some who constantly traverse the streets
in the hauling of merchandise and pursuit
Of daily business, would prefer the money,
or portion OF il, Spent upon street i'm
r. Ca 70 sfa anil
limb, as well as the prevention of expensive
wear and tear of team and vehicle and OF
goods in transit.
Some have fears, from the extraordinary
anxiety and efforts of the medical faculty,
that there is a good-sized axe to be ground
at the expense of the city-that it IS not so
much for the love Ofthe dear dozen or two
suffering poor, who from month to month
may need hospital privileges, as 1t is for
the love OF something nearer home and of
a different order, that this great effort is
being made upon the Boards of the City
Government.
They do not charge the Medical Faculty
with any dishonOrable or dishonest purpO-
ses-nOt at all-but seem inclined TO
wonder if the "clty fathers" really intend
10 pass bill, compelling the taxpayers OF
Nashville to repair and keep up for
eighteen years, the old college building for
the use of the faculty, besides paying the |
of clinical material for their spe-
cial use and for the instruction OF their |
Students exclusively.
Some are inclined to the opinion that if |
the city is sufficiently flush of funds and |
really anxious TO promote medical learning
and the gathering of medical students, by
the establishment of a city hospital, il
would serve the purpose much better to
have an Independent institution, open alike !
to the faculties and students Of all the col
leges now or hereafter founded in Nash |
ville-a free, general hospital, under the
charge of a good resident physician and
surgeon, aided by eminent consulting ply
sicians and surgeons outside, and by a suf-
ficient number of proficient medical stu
dents inside.
Now the views of all whose expressions
have been reporting, may be considered CT
little weight in the decision of the ques-
tions pending, and yet regard them worth |
putting in print, and worthy of careful con-
sideration.
For myself, must express the hope that |
the Boards of the City Government and the |
Mayor, who have the financial as We'll as
moral and humanitarian credit of the city |
in their keeping, will not be hasty i'm ac- |
cepting the overtures now before them.
If the city is able, at the present time, to |
found and maintain general hospital, an |
location and management |
should be fully considered and no fear |
but that such an institution |
could be successfully run, if not single
member of the faculty of the Medical Col |
Iege were in its medical or surgical staff, |
able and charitable and attentive as that |
'aeulty is knownitO be. Il.