New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
A NEW OPERATING THEATRE
TO BE PART OF ROOSEVELT HOSPITAL.
BUILT AND ENDOWED WITH THE LEGACY OF
WILLIAM J. sYMs-ITs ADMIRABLE

BUILT AND ENDOWED WITH THE LEGACY OF
WILLIAM J. sYMs-ITs ADMIRABLE
FEATURES.
| Roosevelt Hospital will soon have an operating
theatre which will embody all the best features known
| TO architecture and medicine. The muniiicence oi
| William j. syms has made possible this splendid ad-
dition to the facilities or the hospital Mr., syms,
| who a man OF great wealth. was n patient ana
warm personal friend OF Dr. Charles McBurney- the
OF Roosevelt Hospital, and 10 Is probable that
through him he became Interested In the subject oil
new operating theatre for the institution AT any rate
when Mr. Syms made his will on November ~ 1885,
he put in II clause setting apart x35OOOO OF his estate
for the purpose. Half OF the money was to pay Tor
the building itself and the rest to form an ehuo"
ment, the income from which should be used In paying
| the running expenses OF the theatre
Mr. syms died in the spring OF 1882 Samuel X
Syms, his brother, Henry C.. Tinker, DIT. McBiirney
and the widow, Mrs. Catherine f. Syms, were named
trustees In the WILL to carry ont It's PROVISIONS d.
McBurney has charge OF all the cases In Roosevelt
Hospital except thos. presenting no diihcuty what
ever he deeply interested In using the legacy
! OF his friend to the best possible advantage. lie
| therefore spent time In Germany, Austria ana
Switzerland visiting the hospitals and medical schools
from which he could obtain the most improved IDEAS
for the theatre to be built here IN this way he learned
all the plans evolved by the brains OF the great Cont
|
results In IN operating room.
BACTERIA THE WORST DANGER.
The object most desired In such a building that
endowed by Mr. syms Is freedom from danger OF con-
taron. Germs OF disease urk about such places unless
| the utmost is taken to get rid of them The
bacteria thrive in dust and between the cracks of
wooden floors, and a OF great danger In
surgical operations. DR.. McBurney was therefore
chiefly concerned in planning the materials and the
Internal structure Of the building so rs t. furnish no
place In which the insidous germs OF diseases could
| find hiding place. He has attained this object rs
we'll the present state OF human skill md knowledge
permits by using material from which the bacll can
| be washed
W. Wheeler Smith selected as the architect and
II was decided to build the william J. Syms operating
Theatre Of Roosevelt Hospital, it Il Officially known
that part OF the hospital grounds at the corner OF
Fifty -nlnth-st. and Ninthave. DIR. McBurney told
| Mr.. Smith Just what he wanted The architect had
| some difficulty In drawing plans which woud com
bne all Of the surgeons ideas, and yet keep the cost
OF the structure within the $4,000 limit. lie tried
| three times without success, but n fourth attempt
| solved the problem, and tile plans have been drawn
| accordingly.
| DESCRIPTION OF THE THEATRE.
The building Is now under roof and needs
| little except internal fitting to make it ready
for occupancy. No great attention paid to having
1t especially attractive in outward appearance but it
/ l.
ment and IS three stories tall In the hat is, in
the south end. tall glass dome, with its top sixty
four feet above the ground from the centre OF the
| building IIaversraw brick will be the material
chiefly used the sills and ntsls the windows being
of granite and the rest Of the window trimmings Of
Trenton moulded brick.
The main entrance. facing Hfy-nlnth-st. will be ap
preached by stone steps with granite pillars. An area
four feet wide will enclrce the entire building. aiding
in securing perfect Isolation and better light, air
| and drainage. The floors will be almost entirely OF
mosaic the walls chiefly Of marble. and the ceilings
Of marble hard plaster. all the material furnishing
| lurking place for bac,eria.
Communication between the theatre and the other
| building, Of the hospital is furnished by a covered
corridor running front OF the various old structures
and connecting wi h wide vest,bnle in The operating
| house. This vestibulc has floor Of Roman mosaic
and walls and ceiling entirely Of Italian marble. To
the left as enters this door Is room for septic
cases. that Is for persons whose wounds a:e not in
a healthy condition. Next to il. but having no con
nection with II, Is rccepon-ro Adjoining this
| is an examining To the east Of the vestbulc
described are two ethenzngrooms. All these apart
ments are to the right Of the main entrance In Fifty
ninthst.
OTHER ROOMS on THE GROUND FLOOR.
A surgeons and operating room for spe-
cial cases are the southwest corner Of the building
South Of the main operating rooms for storing
'"'
keeping for stelzing and for preparing the bandagcs
and dressing materials. Facing Nnthave Is tie rom
for work with the microscope and in the northeast
corner to the left of the main entrance, are several
rooms for Photographic purposes.
In the basement are the coat for the students.
the jantors quarters and the heating and ventilatnS
apparatus The ventilating will be by system of
fans the fresh air being drawn down chimney peraps
twenty feet high. The air VIII be blown INTO ne
amphtheatre and will be withdrawn near the ceiling
through large register opening into an exhaust cim
ney. Through this there VIII be sent current OF hot
air TO assist the draft. ~ .
The students will have 10 climb fight OF stairs b
enter the main Operating room me a9or v 10 wm
the table thee sides. There Will be acconlnlOui-
tion for 1s4 students and the tiers Will rise SO Secpy
from the patient. The walls OF the amphitheare VIII
~, wanscoted with marble i've feet above the highest
seats. The dome, high above the hoor has four big
skylGhts. No wood Whatever IS uSed ia the dHPhi-
theatre.
on THE SECOND FLOOR.
An inclined plane with an ascent Of one foot In four,
leads TO the second floor. Patients be wheeled or
carried ND this with minimum Of discomfort. The
only rooms on this story five all on the south side
for pattents who are recovering from serious operations
on the floor above them are roomsfor employees ana
nurses ,., =,
The present operating Of the hospital has
accommodations for about the same number OF stud
entS rs the last but the seating arrlngement Is
far Inferior Then too. the room Is OF wood. III which
disease NAV hide In spite Of every effort to prevent IT,
Tpe one objection 70 the Syms theatre in fact is that
enough voting men will come from the College of
The college named will be especially benefited by
Mr. Syms's benehc.nce. Roosevelt Hospital offers
especial 10 fhsre rSe S eare viii # pro
aby be used for the first time In April or May, the
superintendent OF the hospital Mr. La,lrop, thinks