The New York herald., 1877-03-17
NEW YORK HOSPITAL.

OPENING EXERCISES AT CHICKERINa HALL
ADDRESS BY DIR. VAN BuREN-INAUGURArIoN
OF THE NEW BUILDING
Chckering Hall was crowded to its utmost capacity
last night by the friends aud patrons Of the New York
Hospital the home OF which on Fifteenth street,
between Fifth and Sixth avenues, was inaugurated
after tho opening address at the hall DR.. an Buren,
was the orator. and was introduced by Mr. ". H. Macy.
president OF the Seamen's Savings Bank. number
OF distinguished people the STAGE among whom
Peter Coopers venerable face particularly notice.
able.
DIR. BuREN's ADDRESS.
Dr. W. H. Van Buren, Is Of the consulting sur
geons Of the hospital and professor OF surgery in tho
Bellevue Hospital Medical College He traced the his
tory of medical science from the earliest ages. Tho
Buddhist rock temples OF India, he said bear their
walls laws for the government OF establishments for
the SICK engraved centuries before the Christian
As our perception Of the requirements OF the sick has
grown TO be more full and accurate, the problem
OF how TO meet them, although with increased
resources, has become more complex. Its solution,
therefore, demands more diligence and skill, with
higher range Of ability and greater difficulty attends
successful achievement. Comparison with similar en-
tcrprises Europe shows that Americans arc more
receptive OF ideas, more ambitious to advance
and less hampercd by tradition Our hospital pa.
tients represent a smaller dependent class, and
L. a
more exacting The first hospital on Manhattan Island
was built by the Dutch early in the seventeenth cen.
tury. II bad the capacity history tells US, of five
houses and stood the tort at the southern ex-
treinity Of the island The American Republic was in
actual existence before the New York Hospital was IN
active operation The eloquent Doctor then referred
10 the old site OF the hospital in these terms:-'You
all remember the quiet old building oi gray stone,
which, like the churcnyards OF Trinity aud
81 Paul's, formed nm oasis In the cominercial
desert OF our great and how sadly all
IA han SfoFn
lon years SINCE. Among the professional men OF
the hospital noted for original achcvcments may be
mentioned Professor Samuel Bard, OF Kings College,
who, in 177O published, under the name OF throat DIS
temper, an account OF endemic diphthcria,
prevails in New York. lie was the prin.
r,pal founder Of the hospital Bard was tho
author OF the first work obstetrics published IN thus
country. About tho same time Dr. John Jones Pro-
lessor Of Surgery Ia Kings College, aud subsequently
surgeon OF the hoptal, published an essay On .ne
during the Of the revolution. Dr. Richard Bayley
has the credit OF the first successful anputaon ut tho
shoulder Joint In this country IN l1s2 baylcy deliv-
cred surgery IN the then unoccupied build
Ing the hospital in 1887 aud his sonn.aw Dr. Wright
Post, lectured there at the same time on anatomy.
In the following year the so-ca!led DOCTORS mob oc
Cured, In which the building was sacked. Dr. Post
performed many important operations IN surgery
which were not known IN this country before time
Alter him came DR. Valentine Mott who performed tho
grand achievement In 1918 OF placing ligalure nearer
In medical practice. The lecturer next re-
ierrcd 10 Dr. Alexander H. stevens, Dr.
r. s. Kissam, .. Borrowe, V. Seaman, l.. Miller d.
Hosnck, g. L. Mitchell, w. Hanmcrslcy, J. Watts and
+. Delaield and spoke ieeIiusy OF Dr. Gurdon Buck,
who served the hospital for forty years He traced
tho history OF the hospital down To the present time
and EXPRESSED the utmost confidence ~ It's future
One sentence In his discourse was siahiilcant The
New York Hospital has never been city hospital IN
The sense deriving It's support rom money srnnted
by the city," ,
Aer the inaugural address was delivered the sudcuce
Adjourned TO the new hospital building, winch extends
from Fifteenth TO sixteen; u street, between ft ana
Skin avenues and devoted an hour or SO 70 ,ne IN
spcction OF this admirable inst"utioh' VI ""o" '"e
metropols may Justly be proud.