The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-07
THE CHARITY HOSPITAL.
An Open Letter en- nm Important and Inter
estina subject,
NEW ORLEANS, April 0. 1s77.


M dear Having great faith IN your
efforts TO teorganiae the Charity, Hospital. and
hospitals of enlightened cities, ! respectfully
beg to point to a. few of the many improves
ments that are positively indicated.
/. The hospital should be made the nursery
OF q Just professional pride as well "a ambition.
The new Beard of Administrators has taken 9
most important step in making the position of
resident student attainable only through com
petitive examination. in thus raising our
se st S a he sas and se ss
esfnsab ifs dement's 81 he hospital viii not be
nifty at large viii be benefited.
But the material Of the hospital will he Ia
great measure Lost on the resident pupil T. eal
medical and obstetfical staff are fully competent
II the student is required TO be informed to a
should have as his ward physician, surgeon OF
obHtetfician one competent to improve him.
The organisation of our medical colleges here
HE the material Of tho hospital for bedside In.
Htructlon during the fall and winter season, and
u is altogether proper that new spring a. ana ~
April, thus permitting other members Of the
profession to avail themselves of the great ad,
shnagges # the ns II tbs at b tf eeaf
selecting for such duty the most competent and
JEALOUS of OH applicants. . III. :. 49,.
walton In the conduct Of the institution which is
esashtial from every point Of view. .,.,.
ly Organized consulting staff Of surgeons, ,nhy-
sieiaiAA and obetetricans. In nearly thirty
years 6spersonal experience with the hosnitai
SUPPOSE sun ehe ' Same thing could be said Of any
h a aoh shst would sw rom ssh
s s2s's would a get The beet proiessiqna soasa
GRAFTON attainable; professional zeal and anibi.
Han Et
rebound to tho advantage of society at large
wand the honor Of, our city and state; me post
uf visiting physician, surgeon or obstetrician 10
the great Charity Hospital should be one of dis
tinctions that Of consulting physician, surgeon
81 q esat and shua
reward for professional zeal and distinguished
4 Paupehsem should be banished from the
Charity HoEhital. The institution. was eEtab-
iished for the benefit of the poor sick and II has
become The sas Of se w what a
Think ought TO be done with him. simply
appeal for ordinary JUSTICE and duty to the de,
man IN the service Al the Charity Hospital is
That the pauper eata the food, wears the clothes.
hreathes The air eartails the supply , 9f medi,
so e P2 se laid aN before society 1t would tell tale
The Charity Hospital never will be anything
approaching what 1t should be until pauperisn,
IL bantahed from its walla Az II stands, with a
Fss8s Va Vh os'' a' "'''' "a = VIZ
nation, "a
i. The hospital should be rigidly organized
under the prevailing medical subdivisions OF
the day-surgical, medical obstetrieal and
genealogical: and all under intelligent and or
DERBY arrangement, which would be at once con.
siueiye to the well being of the sick and to the
professional utilization of the vast array oil
if,aterfal There should be separate provision
made for the accommodation of the cases of
rrysipelas when 1t appears, and not subject
whole wards to infection. as at present
The ohstetric department should be Isolated
from everything medical or surgical and thus
make II az rare for the fatal puerperal fever tc
appear In the hospital "a in private practice
III IN this regard it IL impossible to suppress
the professional blush for shame that our civil
igation has not achieved better things.
Finally. make most earnest appeal Tor the
poor little sick children. Of all the inmates 81
an hospital they require most and purest air,
nourishjng food and assiduous attention.
simply ask thai the number of cribs and the
cubic area Of their boxes. called wards, be
viewed. The condition speaks for itself. have
never seen anything like Il elsewhere.
If theae few desultory remarks and sugEes'
tions shall lead TO any Improvement shaii DC
rewarded. My object has been to call attention
TO some existing evils and to point to improve
ment.
The liberal lava OF Louisiana, which wisely
throw the portals OF the Charity Hospital oper
10 all sick poor and every seeker of medical
knowledge, speak loudly of a high civilization
hut maladministration neutralizes the public
intent and 1 for one think the time has come
when popular delusion should be dispelled and
n shade be called spade. Yours, truly
d. WARREN BRICkELI.