Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-02-10
the nospstals Of paris.

From the st. Louis Globes Paris letter.
No city in either hemisphere has more
noble charities, more Institutions for the
relief Of suffering IN every form. Prom.
inent among these are It's hospitals, nnm.
herring fifty or sixty 10 all, in which
poverty, helplessness, inirmity, ailment
Of every kind. whether mental or physl.
cal, is succored and alleviated by all
possible means. wrote recently OF the
great Founding Asylum. There are
hospitals also for poor on the
eve of maternity, for children of the
State, for those refractory TO their
parents, for aged persons. for ineurable
patients. for people of small means not
sufficient to support them without assist
ance, for every class, indeed, that has
been in any way the target of misfor.
tune.
There are many OF the half destitute,
as they may betermed, that are perfectly
respeetable-to employ that potent
Apglicism-who, having been officers in
the armS, are In receipt Of slender pen
sions; or who, connected with families
onee rich and influential have been so.
greatly reduced by social and political
revolutions as to require partial support
from the government.
The renowned Hotel Of Invalids is
somewhat after this pattern; but hat is
military, exclusively devoted to the care
Of private soldiers, the legitimate SOM Of
France. whom they have served gallantly
in the field, and whom their good mother
is bound to help when age or adversely
has fallen upon them.
II there be any kind Of affection or
distress in the city for which there is not
some sort Of eleemosynAry Institution, |
am unaware Of it. Paris is an excellent
place to spend your money, and equally
excellent Though not so pleasant to be
taken care of when you have no money,
or have lost your health. If l were
fated to be az object Of charity, l think
I should rather be one here than any.
where else.
Charity is more gently and d~eleately
administered than in any city | am
familiar with-without the sloyenliness
of Germany, the ~oficiousness of Italy
the hardness Of England, or the con-
temptuous indifference Of America.
The hospitals l wish 10 mention par
ticularly are the general ones. There
are eight-the Hotel Diem, Hospice
Beaujon, the Charlie, the Pitie, Laribo.
aere, Necker, Saint Antoine, and Saint
Julien lie Pauvre-designed for the re.
ception of both sexes who require the
service of physicians or surgeons from
what cause soever. Accommodations
and attention are entirely free 10 every
nation, age, color and creed, the sole re.
striction being that foreigners must have
resided here six months before they can
be admitted. The eight hospitals con
tain from 500 to $50 beds, aboat 5000
patients being usually under treatment,
and from 10000 TO $4,000 being annually
received. The cost to the municipality
for each patient is in the vicinity Of 2!
francs a day, or $40 francs ($l64) a year,
though equally good care could not be
had privately for six times the sum.
The entire expense Of providing for all
the sick Of Paris is estimated to be
nearly 80, 900 francs, derived from private
requests, from paying patients, from a
city fund $4,000 f%rancs), and from 10
per cent. Of the gross receipts Of the
ihea,ers and other places Of amusement.
InValids may have medical advice
gratis at the general hospitals, or may
be sent to any one Of them on applica-
ton to the central Office Bureau Cen.
trail Of the General Committee for Pub.
lie Assistance. M