The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-12-22

perature rose rapidly he was to be called
Immediately by telephone.
At 4 p. m. it had risen to 1O4, and by
4.30 the three physicians and four more of
the hospital staff. beside the house sur
geon, were there to operate. OF course
council was held preparations made and
ether administered, but by six O clock the
operation was successfully performed and
he was recovering from the effects of the
ether. Az incision four inches in length
was made through the skin, fat, and alb
domnal muscles into the abdominal cav
ity. The pus was found precisely as Dr.
Hooker had diagnosed the case, enclosed
in membrane which protected it from
contact with the blood currents. To sue
cessfully remove this (Which was rendered
particularly dangerous by perforation of
the bowels) was delicate feat of surgery
After the abScess was removed the ends
of the wound were sewed up, and in the
center two rubber drainage tubes were
inserted to draw off pus which should
I'l III, -AS VIC NotlIltI Itrlttl IIoHi llle Ill
side day by day the tubes were gradually
forced outward and cut OFF by degrees
Twice every day the wound was carefully
dressed with iodiform gauze and syringed
with solution of corrosive sublimatc The
I care and attention given him by doctors,
nurses and attendants was simply perfect.
! 1t is only just to say that had his case
been given to a physician who did not I'M
derstand it. it would no doubt have proved
fatal at the first. The starvation plan and
hot applications undoubtedly prevented
acute perltonitis. DR.. Chas. p Hooker,
to whose sagacity we are probably in
debted for his life. is a prominent young
physician about 81 years of age. but who.
owing to his small stature and boyish
looks, appears about 20. He is a graduate
of the Harvard Medical School. and after
his graduation practiced in the Massachu-
sets General Hospital. His father, DR..
John Hooker, was in active practice in
this city for about fifty years. and left it
with hands. He was positive. truthful.
upright and honest man, and greatly be-
loved by thousands to whom he had min
isteled in his half-centurv of practice.
The son inherts the straightforward ma
| tllre OF his father. and has a most genuine
love for his profession. He has wonder
ful perceptive faculties. which is most
important factor in the practice of medi-
cine, and lie already has a large and she
cesSful practice
Dr.. F. ". Chaplin is also a comparative-
ly young man, and belongs to the progress
siNe class Of physicians. He is a liohlv
sklllful surgeon and was FORMERLY on the
board OF pension examiners. He has n
large and very wealthy practice DR..
DAVID Clark, the consulting physician.
also belongs to the Younger class. and has
a very large practice He is careful
skllful and conscientious. He is a spec
lalist and has travelled extensively in
Europe, and studied in the HOSPITALS of
Berlin and Vienna.
Alter staying four weeks at the hospital
Arthur was brought home. and it WAS
some three months before he fully regain
ed his strength. To-day he is well and
hearty. and has entirely lost the pallid
look which had been habitual for months
before his sickness, showing that the trou
% y-aS l,a1
mad been months, and perhaps years. in
forming. A few words in regard to the
hospital may not be amiss. The word
City Hospital may be misleading. as it is
a private charitable institution although
the city annually votes a large sum tow
ard it's maintainence 1t was Incorporated
IN 1883, and began work modestly in two
story frame house on the '.Boston Road"
In 1886 the widow of Chester W.
Chaplin, the first president of the Bos-
ton and Albany road, died and beuueathed
80, 900 to the hosital, providing that a
like sum should be raised and that the
city OF Springfield should give this corpor-
'''A'ii 10 hoSPiidf ana plHeHlS. On
January :, 1887, William Merrck. a
wealthy bachelor, died and made the cor
poration his residuary legatee In April
1887 there was raised by popular subscrip-
ton the sum Of SIS, 49,. In November the
same year a farm on North Chestnut St..
near the Chicopee line was purchased
which comprises 35 acres of choice land
and diversified scenery, and in May 1889
the present beautiful buildings were erect
ed. They consist of large and stately
central building which contains the yener-
al office, housekeepel's room, superintend-
ents office, office of the head nurse room
for the medical staff, consulting and oper-
ating rooms, and a large and beautiful
central reception hall, opening to east and
west. Above are twelve rooms for private
patients and in the third story are quar-
tered the provisional nurses. connected
with the training school. Two long wings
curving toward the west give the whole
group of buildings crescent shape. The
wings are the male and female wards re-
spectively and are reached from the east
side by a long veranda, enclosed with glass