The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-22
The Finest Hospital in the World.

Acquiring its charter from King George
and being favored by State grants as well
as private contributions, the New York
Hospital is secure against any indebted
ness, and its new building on Fifteenth
street near Union square is probably the
finest in the world. IF you have seen
the New York, our place will! not seem
P;.iae. of the Roosevelt Hospital, to us,
and the Roosevelt itself is considered M
of the best appointed hospitals extant.
Starting out with two leading ideas
that it should be tire-proof and present
the greatest obstacles to the absorption
of poisonous matter from an accumula-
ton IF diseased patients the architects
design has embodied in the building not
only every appliance for safety and com-
fort known but also q degree Of luxury
and beauty above any mere utility. For
heat and ventilation the methods en-
ployed are novel and ingenious. Fresh
air of any temperature required is intro
duced into all parts of the building by a
fan-blower in the basement. Suction
DO wer for carrying off vitiated air j
placed in the highe st peak Of the roof
and q constant circulation is effected
without perceptible draught by air es-
capes in the ceilings and under each bed.
Chilling downward %draughts from. the
windows are met by upward currents OF
warm air from perforated window-sllls.
The heating is done by steam. and in al.
dition 10 tile Croton, water is obtained
from IN artesian we'll. All the kitchens
and laundries are in the uppermostst stories
above the wards. and two elevators u
from basement to attic. The only wood
work used is in the doors and windows;
the floors are made Of tiles laid in cement
on iron girders and the w~ainscoting is
marble. ANY vain or extravaganza reach
ing after splendor is disavowed by the
management, but it is certain that the
New York Hospital eclipses all its con-
geners. 80,
The building is seven stories high
with q mansard roof and has accommo-
dations for about two hundred patients
with nurses and other employees. Stone,
iron AMI red brick are prominent materi.
ais in the facade, the many windows OF
which look out upon ornamental! iron
balconies In the interior even such de-
tails as the tiles and gaslixtures are ar
tistic, and the sunlight streams in every.
where. Near the roof is q large hall,
separated from the sky only by a trans
lucent canopy of glass. This is the Sol
arium. Plants and flowers bloom in it
and fountains bubble with liquid music;
in the pale green depths of fresh n
salt water aquaria strange and beautiful
fish are seen, and on miniature ISLANDS
of cork, turtles are airing themselves or
basking in the spray of the fountains;
| The Solarium is always pretty and
warm, andi is feature that might we'll
be introduced into all hospitals. The
| kitchen and laundry on the upper floors
are provided with all the modern i'm
provcments of hotel, and the washing.
rinsing, wringing and mangling are all
| done by steam. The cots are Of iron and
fitted with adjustable bars by which the
occupants can change their positions
without help. Each colts also provided
with An electric tube by which the pa
| tient can summon the nurse, whose pri-
waite sitting and sleeping-room is at m
end of the ward. In the dining-rooms
the table linen is snow-white and the
service is silver-plate. At each end of
each ward thele arc lavatories with hot
and cold water and bathrooms, all the
patients being required to battle once a
week unless they are excused by the
house surgeon. On the lower floors Of
the building there are two theaters, one
for operating and the other for autop-
| sizes, each being filled with every appli-
ance for the purposes that science has
devised. The charge for board is seven
dollars a week; few cases are treated
gratuitously, and private patients are
charged from ten to forty dollars q week.
Gaod G0npanu.