Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-13
HOSPITALS.
Tho Latest Freak for Wealthy Patient
and Scicentific Explorations.

PRIVATE HOSPITALS.
Tho Latest Freak for Wealthy Patients
and Scientific Explorations
The latest professional fad in this city
Is the private hospital idea, which
threatens to become a craze. Almost
every eminent surgeon has one or
more private houses turned into hospi-
tails for the reception and treatment OF
patients who can afford to pay extern
sive prices. These houses, which are
usually elegant dwelling houses
situated on Fifth, Madison or Lexing-
ton avenues, are furnished in the most
luxurious style. The doctor has his
Office in the library. The parlor is
made into an elegant reception room.
The chambers and all other available
rooms are fitted for patients of wealth.
One room is set apart for the use of the
doctors assistants, usually young medi-
cal graduates who are glad to give
their time for their living and tho ex-
perience obtained. The most import
ant part of the establishment is the
patient, who must of course have
plenty of money, and may be male or
female. The complaints of both sexes
are treated. though not usually in the
same house. And these surgical re-
treats offer fhe inducement of perfect
privacy to all their patrons, which
is one secret of their success. As
may be surmised from what has been
said, many of the patients are people
of means who do not wish their friends
to know of their illness, and who have
strong reasons for secrecy.
The first private hospital started in
this city was that of a wefl-known
gynecologist and obstetrican. In this es-
tablishment the diseases of women are
exclusively treated, and the cost to
each patient is about $1,000 month.
There are often thirty or forty in
mates. seldom less than ten or fifteen.
So it will be seen this first venture was
success. If all the private hospitals
for the treatment of women were of
the same order, it would be matter
for public congratulatiOn, but of the
hundreds that have been opened by
many doctors of doubtful schools of
characters the majority are not above
suspicion. Some of these private af
fairs are really the laboratories of
human vivisectionists. More than one
famous surgeon who has a hospital at
his command sends the best of the hos
pitfalls cases to his own establishment,
where he can experiment undeterred
by the supervision of human lay-trus-
tees and other hospital officers.
A certain surgeon desired to obtain
large number of cases of abdominal
section, few years ago, and resolved
to perform laparatomy whenever he
could obtain a patient on whom there
was the smallest excuse for this, the
most difficult and deadly of all oper-
ations. He was one of the surgeons
in-chief of one of our largest hospitals,
and proceeded to operate on the insti-
tution's charity patients on the slight
est provocation. Before long the num-
Der of deaths from abdominal section
in the hospital engaged the attention
of the trustees, and the surgeon was
summoned-privately, of course-be-
fore the board. After long hearing
they failed to agree as to whether or
not he had abused his powers; but they
agreed to forbid him in future to per-
form a capital operation without all
the surgeons of the hospital concurred
and were present. He had not yet
obtained the scientific data that
he desired, so resorted to the
private hospital idea. He purchased
a large house on Thirty-fourth
street and fitted it up for a private hos
pital. Here he could, untrammeled,
cut up his victims and obtain his sci
entitic data. Here he sent all patients
whom he could feel justified in operat-
ing on. Here he has slain his hundreds,
and will Stay his thousands before he
gets done; then he will publish book
on abdominal surgery that will make
him famous. AS he is wealthy man
and can spend any amount of money to
attain his ends, and works strictly
within the letter of the law, nothing
can stop him in his death-dealing ca
reer.
This is but one instance. There are
many others. 1t is in these laborato-
ries of science that most OF the surgi-
cal sensations that appear in the public
press originate.
There is one advantage gained by
them, however: that is they are the
best possible schools for the advance
ment of surgical science. Talk about
cutting up dogs and cats! Why. we
cut up men-the worthiest animal for
Such were the words,
perhaps over enthusiastic, which the
writer heard one of these students
of anatomy utter.-M Y Cor. ST. Louis
Globe Democrat.
MATERIAL OF BOOKS.