The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-11-29
MISCELLANY.
LIFE IN A HOSPITAL.
How the Days and Nights of Patients in st.
Luike's nre Passed.


A gentleman who some six weeks ago was
80 unfortunate as to fracture his leg had
himself conveyed to st. Luke's Hospital,
New York, for treatment, and thus describes
the ordinary routine of life among the pa
tients in that admirable institution:
The hospital method Of "being sick" is
the pleasantest, and the manner of treat
ment superior to that of home or in q pri-
vate family. Everything here is done in the
best possible way and with perfect system.
The public wards seem to me to be prefer
able to being special patient in private
room, and the expense much less. My
wants have been as fully met where am as
If I had occupied room by myself ut S25
per week. like it better
Aside from the doctors, who are constant
ly around each ward is in charge of a sister,
who supervises the patients diet and person
ally administers the medicine. Then there
is day nurse and assistant and night nurse
and assistant, who in turn are constantly in
the room and attend particularly to individ-
ual wants. Besides these, about one-third
of tho patients where am are able to walk
around and are expected to assist in many
little services that are constantly required by
tho "lay-abeds." All seem glad to do this,
and so have in reality had about half a
dozen kindly hearts and hands constantly at
command
The daily routine commences at 5 O'Clock
in the morning, when the night nurses arc
succeeded by those for the day. The frs;
thing done by them is to make all the beds.
which occupies them until 6 o'clock, when
they go to breakfast. After returning the
floor is covered with old damp tea leaves,
then swept and thoroughly aired; all done
with time table regularity. This must be
finished by A. NJ Then come the morn
ing additions of the patients for which half
an hour is allotted, after which breakfast is
served Those who can walk go to the din
ing room, of which there is one in each
ward. At or $50 the three house surgeons
make their first round. Each patient gives
account of himself for the preceding night.
At . A. M. the chaplain or superintendent
has short religious service, consisting of
reading Psalm from the prayer book and a
brief prayer This service never exceeds
ten minutes.
Now begins the real work of the day by
the doctors and nurses Every one who has
wound or old sore is fixed up, roulticed,
&c, and put in shape. The convalescents
can go down on the lawn and stay until din
ner time, 100. The bill of fare and the
food of course varies with the condition of
each patient, but am not restricted and
get good, "square" meal every time
After dinner comes the surgical operations
which are performed on lower floor. The
patients walk down, and after being chloro-
formed and cut are brought back on stretch
ers and placed in bed before being restored
. consciousness. The surgical ward is the
best to live in, because, unlike the medical,
ii contains no one who is afflicted with dis
ease, and nothing occurs to nauseate or an
noy persons of weak nerves, &c. About 4
p. M. a sort of dress parade, or formal re-
view is made of all the patients by the con-
sulting and attending surgeons, who, with
the head nurse, make sort of "grand
rounds" as doth General Shaler and staff on
Decoration day At 3 or $50 p M. comes
supper or tea, which consists of bread, but
ter, and tea, plain but abundant. At 6 there
is a short service of evening prayer in the
chapel adjacent to all the wards, laeie
about half an hour At the doctors max
another inspection of patients and give IN
structions for the night. At the gas is
turned down and all go to bed. At mid
night doctor comes around to see if every
thing is all right. During the daytime the
hours are filed with reading, talking, &C.,
and SO the time-passes quietly away. Odd
things frequently occur For instance: The
patient in the cot next TO me had his left arm
torn off recently in machine Mt Higgins
carpet factory. He WIS brought here, the
arm amputated at the elbow, and he is get
ting well. Last night having chill, jng
of hot water was applied to his back, and in
wrigglng around to get himself into an easy
posi- ion, he worked the cork out, and, Of
course, was deluged with hot water. The
fuss and hullabaloo made by him was funny,
and his lop-sided hop ont of bed aroused the
neighbors.
Thus have given you brief sketch of
days routine at St. Luke's. When you break
your leg jump into an ambul nee and mabe
us visit.