Telegram-herald., 1891-01-25
ST. MARKS HOSPITAL
The Telegram Herald PAYS . vislt
20 that Worthy institution.
4 Ssuc HlRBoR FOR ALL IysiLlDS
The Poor ale " eieeme est fsv ~ fAsn
Know it-Dstreit aespitaAs-Whas
1hey Are aGa nes Hhsy
Are ManASea.

great majority OF people. lhe Slslol
brought before the mental eye hy the
introduction of the subject is usually
somewhat of this character: First, oi
course, there 10 the small. bare room
with plain whits-washed walls and mar
row iron cot bed. The floor IL carpet
less and the room is ~ devoid of home
attractiyeness as = ratfrequented gar.
ret. The bill of fare consists of both
greatly diluted with only . suspicion
Of mesty- flavor remaining. This is the
Old style hospital The hospital Of to
day is entirely different. Take. for in.
stance ST. Marks, the newiy-opened
hospital in tins city. A pull at the door
bell, a welcome "come I'M and the
visitor is seated in an elegantly fur
nished reception rooyn 70 await the
coming of the one for whom the visit
is intended. That is, providing you are
not a patent. II you are Ill you do
not make triumphal entry. You are
permitted to reciine at length upon q
comfortable wheeled conveyance
which is showed directly into the eleva-
tor and upon this you repose until the
room is reached where you are TO lie
helpless, and yes, perhaps, 70 fight the
greatest battle Of your life.
The room is not the room of your
imagination. IL you are paying pa.
tient; ii you are able 10 pay, all the
way from IS 10 $50 per week for lodg-
ing, laundry, board. medicine and care,
| exclusive oi medical treatment, YOU
are permitted to use room varying in
the Furnishings from the ordinary com.
! forts of the middle class TO the luxuries
OF the rich. Every possible desire and
want Is supplied and all you are ex.
pected 10 do III return is 10 settle your
| weekly bill.
All this comes when you have the
| money 10 pay for it. But the case 10
not SO very different when there is nc
| money TO pay. The patient is treated
with the same kindly consideration and
tender care and is provided with q CON-
Portable bed with all the attendant adj
vantages of medical treatment and
careful nursing. But he must occupy
his share of a room with others; that is,
he must he content 10 be q ward pa
tent. Money will buy luxuriee, but
the destitute and suffering will, by
their simple needs alone, receive free oi
cost, all that benevolence can give
them. 1t is only necessary that their
wants be made known.
DIR. Peterson, the ahable and cour
teous physician in charge of st. Marks
Hospital, says that the general impres
son seems to be that ones pockets
must be lined with gold to gain ad
mittance into the hospital. Such is not
the case. The poor are welcome al
ways, and 1T is greatly 10 be regretted
that M ore of this class do not take ad
vantage of the privileges offered by the
hospital. Many squalld bed, holding
an invalid in its grimy grasp, could bt
relieved of its burden, and the patient
moved to clean, comfortable and sanl.
tary quarters, thus relieving the family
from great burden, and placing th.
patient where recovery would he the
more rapid and certain. Hospitals
were made for the rich and poor alike
and ii is an erroneous impression which
fills the beds in all the private paying
rooms, leaving the great wards unoocu-
pied.
The TELEeRAN-HERAIp receptly
visited st. Marks Hospital and through
the kindness andlcourtesy of DR.. Peter
son the entire building was inspected
and the methods IN vogue explained.
The first room visited was the genera
surgical ward where only three patient.
were visible instead of the dozen which
4 should have been there. One had beer
seized with fits while walking on the
street. The ambulance was called and
he was conveyed to the hospital, where
he will remain until perfectly able to
care for himself. Another had suffered
the loss of portion of his anatomy
and the third had been the victim Of al
accident whereby he had lost two toes
In one Of the private rooms, place.
there by reason of her recent mother
hood, was Susie, a pretty petite dark
eyed girl who seemed exceedingly anxi
Gus over the colicky pains of her SIX
week-old girl baby-a sweet morseI OF
red-faced unconscious humanity. IL
the wonen's ward. also empty save fol
three patients, LIZZIE, a hysterica
young woman, carelessly rocked 10 and
fro, her hands hanging Idly by her side
She utterly refuses 70 talk most Of the
time and will not reply even 10 the
most ordinary question. When moves
she remains stationary IN the position
assumed when the helping hands ief
her. Persistent questioning by the doc
tor failed to elicitsny reply. He raised
her gently 10 her feet. but she re
NAMED there immovshle as statue
with one hand bali o1fstretcbed anf
ewes closed. A sort OF kiij-fne-ouici
expression shadowed the otherwiss
vacant face. After remaining % TO,
some time the doctor gently resesteC
her, for the night was cold
4 brief visit was paid 10 the chapel
where services are conducted ever
| THURSDAY by Rev. nr. Campbell Fair
All pataents who arc able are expected
to attend, but there is no compulsIon II
the matter.
The elevator was entered and q vlsi'
raid 10 the operating room on the ubges
aiioor As the door swung ouen sUfyJ'
yeser OF cisloroforn greeted the r1ostriis
/ speaking volumes OF the horrors OF to-
PAST and 10 cuT1e. fsle hcoy sDt
eiistening. hard finished walls betrsvef
the INABILITY of disease germs 70 Ind /
breeding pace. A fine case OF surg9ca
instruments stands at one si6e Of tb'
room II - coEnposed entirely ot gas
and steei giving warning ~ IS atsster'
aspect that no m5schlsvo5s ryl-crotr
could iurk within ;fs sacred preclncts
A fne surgicsl tAhle uith top of rnsrfszs
n three sections - TIE most corssEscu
c,gs object 81 tee room 1se rTssrtl'
can - vsrrneaz tsefoTe al o7,eFst1es
arr j. Tefsns the hezt fof soroe time
In severe cases. fer 1psssnc n iapzro
tor11y t.andsg.ng - done IS fsrD0yfng