Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-23

by a locomotive, had so far recovered as to
take an interest in toys. There was look
of too much spirituality in his countenance
for his anxious mothers comfort, but the su-
perintenjent said the child was past danger.
There were more one-handed checker play
ers in this department than you could
shakea stick at. In this, as we'll as in 9TH
er departments, local artists have done much
to relieve the tedium of a couch of pain by
donating paintings.
A numerous party was found In the con-
valescent ward, though it is not so crowded
as last week, when 10 extra cots were put
down in the aisle.
The little folks were by themselves, with
the exception of the attendants, and they
were enjoying themselves in childish
fashion. Mr. Cowen stated that most of
them were homesick for a couple of days
after they had recovered sufficiently to get
into this ward, but that generally wore off
One sweetfaced little cherub of four years,
however, could not become reconciled and
the sight of his mother, who comes to see
him daily, sets him frantic. She now
takes peep through a small aperture at
him and the poignancy of his griefis slowly
wearing away.
in the medical department.
OFF FOR THE FATHERLAND.
In the male medical ward an aged Ger
man was found in state of childish furry.
He was having his trunk .packed for visit
to Faderland. If the young lady of this
city who furnishes the means to make this
aged pilgrim happy could have witnessed
his ecstatic futter, she would have found
compound interest on her investment.
In the general surgical department is
misc in oil nh dos
as possible by organized humanity and
surgical skill. In this department are the
victims of the West Point Boiler Works
boiler explosion, those of them who escaped
death. Among them is a half grown boy,
the only son of widowed mother. One
was reminded of the widow of Main, as he
saw the varied emotions play over her face
as she watched the ftful slumber of her
boy. Whether on account of the nature of
his hurts, or from some other cause, he was
sitting upright, but fast asleep. Mother
love showed here, as it always does, when it
is most needed
One thing that struck the visitor as being
as nearly perfect as possible, was the celerity
with which patients are handled in the
surgical department. A telephone message
is received from some mill or railway depot,
or somewhere else, asking for an ambulance.
1t is at the spot desired in a few minutes
and few minutes later its freight is rolled
into
THE OPERATING ROOM
on a leather-covered cot on wheels. The
surgeons determine in the least possible
time what must be done, and frequently the
victim is made insensible by an
anesthetic and few moments later wakens
and asks when the amputation is to be per-
formed and is told it is over and he is
minus an arm or leg, or perhaps both. He
is then taken so quietly to the appropriate
ward that frequently all the other patients
know about is to awaken the next morning
and see a new patient in the ward, all being
done so silently that they are not awakened.
Thus no shock is given topeople with weak
ened nerves.
There were 1,677 patients treated in the
West Penn last wear, and the number will
be greater this year unless business should
decline, the number of accidents being a
pretty fair gauge of trade activity.
In the convalescent ward is bright-look-
ing young colored man, who is. after 81
months confinement to bed, able to walk
portion of each day, though when he came
mis- back was said to be broken. He fell
from height of 80 feet at the Black Dia-
mond Steel Works. Curiously enough, his
name is John Jasper, and he isn't troubled
as to the determination of the question
whether ''de sun do or do not move" buthe
would like to be on the move himself and
thinks another fresh plaster or two will per-
feet cure.
Nothing more sharply defines the boun-
dary between savagery and civilization than
the interest taken in the alleviation of
misery at public expense, an interest so
strongly developed in the present age that
it has thrown its protecting wings over our
dumb friends and servants.