National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-03
WHAT THE pooroRs WANT.
why the GARFIELD Hospital should be Es-
tnhIInhed In NnahInrion.

tnbitshed In washington.
The undersigned legally qualified practitioners
Of medicine, residing In the District Of Columbia,
do hereby unite IN commentator Of the projected
establishments general hospital I'm this District,
to be known as the Garfield Memorial Hospital,
and we respectfully represent that such an insti.
tuition is n ucoiei charity, and requirement Of
any properly Devised system for the dispensaton
Of medicines to. aud for the medical and surgical
treatment Of tho sick poor The most compro.
hcnsiyc and economical method of adminlStra-
tion OF medical charities In any large community
Is ough the advantage and opportunities offered
by general public hospital, which can be sup
piled with all necessary medical md surgical np-
p'iancos and nppurtcuancCs, which Is open and
free 10 the admission Of
THE SICK POOR OF ALL CLASSES,
crccds, and natlonalties and in which nil forms
OF disease and Injury can be treated by competent
physicians whose services can be Obtained with.
out pecuniary compensation. In this, MS in every
large community, there are many deserving poor
whose current resources are wholly inadequate to
deirdy the expenses Of any protracted illness
Iamentable Illustrations of this fact are cons anlly
pre.ented. The families of this class are perhaps
as frequently reduced to actual want and nbject
pauperism by the illness Of n father or mother as
by inability to obtain employment In this Dis
trict, more especially in the city of Washington
there i very large floating population, which is
domiciled in the hotels, b0ardirg-houses and
apartments In none OF them can the sick, with
out great expense, and In some not Mt any cost,
cure the ordinary comforts of q sick chamber, q
suitable dietary, efficient nursing, and adequate
lnCulCdl ultenuOn. IneSc necessities
CAN ONLY BE SUPPLIED
by general hospital which offers, at reasonable
q 81, suitable apartments skilled nursing proper
ood, and the choice of treatment by tho regular
9edical stalf or by thelegay qualified physician
u the patients own selection, together with all
he advantages OF an ample and properly equipped
pharmacy necessary laboratories, appliances, and
lppurtennnCes, ana hydenic care and police
There is no institution in this District which ful.
hlls the foregoing requirements. The Columbia
Hospital affords accommodations to females suf-
N n o.
governed by board Of directors, under the pro-
Visions Of charter granted by Congress, and II Is
supported by annual appropriations out of the
revenues Of the District of Columbia and funds
DERIVED FROM rAY-PATIESTs.
Ihe Childrcn's Hospital Is an institution dc.
voted exclusively to the medical and surgical
rCatment of Children" and is owned and gov.
arned by a corporate body chartered under the
provisions Of the act OF Congress entitled An act
o provide for the creation of corporations In the
District of Columbia" tits supported In part by
nnual appropriations ont Of the revenues OF the
District The Freedman's Hospital is in part an
asylum, but mainly hospital for the sick OF the
African race. II Is owned by the Howard Uni.
versty corporation, and supported by the general
government
THE ALMs.HousE HOSPITAL
il owned, governed, and supported by the District
| Of Columbia. It affords accommodation in ladly
constructed and Improperly located building fo
lbout $50 patients in which the vicious Grim
NAL vagrant, and few deserving pnupers a:e
| promscuousy commingled as ono class The
| Providence Hospital is owned and governed BY
'lc Sisters of Charity 1t was built ont Of moneys
n propTated by Congress, 1t is supported by It's
own revenues part of which is derived, under
| contract, from the annual appropriation by Con-
less $4,000 for the maintenance of transient sick
| pnupers To the public wards (see annual report
1851 page 81 patients are apmitted on the order
| The Surgeon-General of the United States Army,
where
THEY RECEIVE EVERY CARE
| and attention. There IRE also private wards and
| rooms, into which patients are admitted on pay
ment of Sc, $40, So or $50 per week" In another
,nrauraDl tho IL IL stated
IN "Outlay of about SIS 900 for additional wing
| al the advantages and accommodations ola gen.
| tutions the Providence Hospital approaches near
st the character of general hospital, but, us is
| shown by the above quotation, its management
admits its lack of the advantages and ac.
| eommodotions of such an institution. II
also shown that IT. it Is pay nos:
contract, the transient sick paupsrs and 70 ne
| private wards and rooms upon PAYMENT Of n siin
yarying according 70 4he-a6et Recommendations The
nndersignsds- therefore, reiterate the statement
tnsl Inefe is no institution in this city fulfilling
me requirements and Offering the advantages of
public general hospital, They averalso that there
| Il no hospital in this District into which dsserv-
| ing poor white man or woman, unless she Is
AFFLICTED WITH SOME DISEASE
| peculiar to her SEX can find accommodation
except upon. payment OF weekly beard or sub.
| nit 10 conditions which should not be imposed
upon that class. This is true Notwithstanding the
| fict that the general government and the District
of Columbia expend annually the sum of $4,000
|
| house hospital. A large part of this sum d s.
| bursed in payment of large salaries (Frcedmen's
| and Columbia hospitals) to the medical Off 1ers
| The hospital accommodations are also inadequate
| to the wants OF the community, and there is an
ABSENCE OF ANY SYSTEM
| regulating and governing the administration o
medical charities In this District In view of the
| foregoing considerations the undersigned appca
| to all whom 1t may concern for such aid and en-
| Couragement to the Garfield Memorial Hospital
| as may secure the establishment and permauen
endowment of an institution that will fulfill all tht
| requirements of Il public general hospital.
| w. Young, James s. Bealc, Il. A. Richey, Samue
| s. Adams, Charles f. iIagner, 4. Y. McArdle, Alex
| YP. GARRETT, John Il. Hamilton, William Lee, +. a
Ashford, s. J. Radcliffe, George Byrd Harrison, NJ
| V.B Began, j. Wells Herbert, w. l.. Naylor, Samue
S. Bond, Nathan S. Lincoln, George n. Acker
| Thomas q. Smith, c. H. A. Kleins; hmdt A. Pat2c
NJ V. Marmion, @. w. Franzoni, d. c. Pate son
/. v. Glapp, Harvey Itpdslsy, william g. Palmer
Thompson, H. D. Fry, NJ. G: Eilzey, J, W. Ii. Love
Joy ID. Webster Prentiss ID. Il, Wolhaupter, g. p
Fenwick, ID. II. Hazen, II. Il. Loring l.. V. Dovil
liers, f. c. Merriam, w. f. Byrns, g. Wythe Cook
A. G. Adams, L. NJ, Scha9fer, James Il. Sothoron
b. b. Adams, l.. NJ. Taylor, d. h. Street. W
Evans, ]. II. Howard George Latimer
NJ. p. Adams, John II. Winter, Franl
HYATT r. g. Mauss, Lewis L. Newton, Thoma
+. Gibbs, Geo. $. King, c. T. Caldwell, Swami NJ
Burnett, W. IL. N. Warmant rhos. Robinson, Davlt
Blair Thos. Antisel, J. l.. Suddarih Parke G
| Young E A, Eellhausen, John X. Menke, A. Beh