Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1878-04-21
SUNDAY READING.
OK BOARD MY Iron BEDsTEAD,
MASON DE SANTE ERANCAISH,
SAN FRANCISCO. Anril L. 1873


My DEAR AND PATIENT Flock Some
thing i'll the surgical way, intermitted betwiHt
and between sundry nurses and omulcients,
sedatives and the emergencies of dietetics, to
say nothing of the unfavoring attitudes of
the disabled and the bed-ridden, these have
constrained your Shepherd to Geport himself
after the manner of "layman' and neglect
the duties selfimposed under the heading
above written But with a gracious and
speedy cOnvalescence cometh a sense of
awakening work duty, well as trife of
that itchiness of the fingers ends which comes
with certainty of recurrence to the incurable
scribbler, no matter whore he is placed or by
what fortunes attended But / do not mean
90 preach about myself; not that | am so
meek and humble as to believe myself past
praying for, or so lacking in self-conceit as to
think myself unworthy to be made tho sub
ject OF discourse upon the Eternal Tough
ness of Things or the Survival of the Obsti-
nate; but, rather, because don't like to take
the risk of making so intimate a subject alto
gother and successfully interesting, But your
Shepherd, for good or bad, is propped up in
his pulpit sustained by the pillows of the
church. az it were Indeed, to take high
and mighty stand, beg to quote as not in
applicable to the occasion the words of the
poet who says:
''5till green with tays each ancient altar stands
Above the reIch of Sac iii !iOuS han Is
Secuc from flames, from onvy's fercer rage,
Destructive war, amt all-invOlvin- age.
When the Christian spirit which moved
certain French gentlemen to erect and main
tain this hospital had fully matured and man
Tested itself, there had grown up scheme
which found expression i'll the name of La
Societe FRANCHISE de Renaissance Mutuele-
Mutual Benevolent Society. THIS admirable
institution is about twenty years Of age As
It's name implies, it is sustained by tic mutual
action Of the French citi,cns-uot alone of
but Of the whole Pacific Coast am told
that almost every Fronchman in these States
of the far west Is member Of the Society
Each ono pays ono dollar a month; and each
ages of this hospital, lodging, nursing, board
and medical and surgical attendance for lie
OF course this fa>teus a certain 9uauttm Of
old, chronic 3a-u&c!ea upon the concern; but
the blessing IS that 40 sjc!, Fyvuchman with
IN reach Of this House of 3caIth need ever
live or die III destitution. speak OF French
men as in tho masculine gender, hat the
scheme applies to women as we'll. and my
companion are here as boayders We pay So
much per diem, in advance, fer rooms, fires,
lights, medicines, board and the constant at
tendance, during all hours of night and day,
II the very best of nurse5 The chief of the
staff Of nursos, Desire Solio, has been hore
fifteen years lie IS a retired Chasscur
/ Afriguo; a fuo. soldier-like, stalwart fellow,
As gont.c as a woman and of wonderful skill
as Il dresser Of wounds and surgeons assist
ant. He is the best man in his vocation in
San Francisco; and he is my friend The |
fact is, if anyone is so unfortunate as to need |
surgical aid of an important character, this
hospital, or one like it, is tho place to come
to Outside of an institution Of this sort one !
cannot got the nursing, without which no |
surgeon can he successful Here are trained |
nurses; here Is a pharmacy; here are all posi-
bic appliances; here is a system of dict, pre-
scribed by ones surgeon ana rigidly enforced
In the present case the Surgeon looks to the
patient for his fec. But the subscribing and
paying member Is at no expense for any at
tendance or services, however important,
however skillfully bestowed, OF however pro
onged. As TO the hospital itself, it is beauti-
July situated III lovely little park of its own,
he same being, | believe, a part of the old
Russ Garden OF former day and generation.
And now, indeed, am | self-belied? Am |
or rather gossipping about myself
n a most secular and commonplace fashion,
Is in the face of promise not to do so2 No,
NY dear lambs, am not. Rather am | tell
ne you of a practical Charity which not only
'uffereth long and is kind, but which begin
loth whore it ought to begin, at home Faith
without works is dead so is a watch, so is a
primary election; so is Charity. The average
American mind shrinks from the idea of be-
aking oneself to hospital. Perjury, decrep-
tude, helpless and debasing pauperism, these i
Ugly conditions connect themselves, by sort (
# fallacious ineytableness Of association in l
,ur minds with all hospitals save those which