Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-02
UP TO THE TINES
The New Operating Room Of
the u. 3. q. Home
TO Be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED
With AL Modefn Surgical Appliances.
The Excellent Operating Room Of
81. MARKS Hospital.

The Excellent Operating Room Of
81. MARKS Hospital.
For some time past the physicians
and surgeons at the Union Benevolent
: Home aud III ispitll have hcep greatly
handicapped for want of proper facili-
tiles for surgical and ohstetrcal work.
| The institution was designed primarily
IS home for the aged ard intirm.
and a. such lacked the requirements
for the modern hospital. As home
il was admirably arranged, but "a a
hospital the defects were many and Sc
rious. In the fret place there was no
operating room, the room used as such
being simply small ward. There was
no chance TO isolate cases. as the room
communicated closely with other
| wards aud other rooms, The heating
was imperfect aud costly, the ventlla-
ton not what it might be, the elevator
was small, old fashloned hand worked
l
For some time past the hospitals work
has been growing. and more and
greater facilities for WORK were de.
handed. The subject was agitated by
few who had the growth of the hos
pital near at heart. and last spring It
resulted IN plan for an annex. The
promoters of the plan worked we'll and
the money was raised before the work
on the building began. The reform
began with the basement, where five
/ enormous boilers, running at great
expense, were providing heat. They
have all been torn out and will he sup
plemented by q Huyatt x Smith heat
log and ventlating plant.
Heating and Ventilation.
II consists of one boiler. an engine
and one of Huyatt * Smiths large
fans. By means OF the fan the air lie
blown over coil OF steam pipes. 1t is
SO arranged that part of the air can be
waited over and part under the pipes
or all over or all under. 1t Is q per.
feet ventllator as well as heater. and
IN the summer time II may be used to
cool the air rs the pipes can be filled
| Will water anu iuc
fan will send a cool wave along. II
cools III summer ana heats in winter
and Ia perfectly adjustable. the heal
can be regulated TO any point between
sixty and 100 degrees Fahrenheit or just
as wanted IN any particular room. The
plant Will soon be IN position as work
Is being hurried.
The water closets and plumbing
| l..
over the house, have been thoroughly
overhauled and remodeled. A fine
hydraulic power elevator will supplan
the old one and IT has been arranged
10 GO from the basement, where large
double doors open to admit patients or
stretcher. up to the fourth story
With all these improvements it woulC
seem that the building would be
model institution so far as sanitation
IS concerned, but more room IS need ed
To meet this want the new annex
22x44 feetwas planned and ,snow IN tn,
D ocess of erection. 1t is hoped I.
have it completed so that poss sssiot
may be had by the first of the year.
Ths New Annex.
The annex will be three stories higl
with large, light, airy basement, tel
feet to the ceiling. There will be tire
rooms III the basement, one of whIci
will probably be occupied by the patho
logical laboratory. The otner two wi!
be used by the women Of the hospita
management. The first floor will b
devoted TO obstetrics and the thre
rooms ON this floor will form an OF
stetrical ward. This will be most de
sIrab!e arrangement, as 1t will keep tn
mothers and their crying otfsprln
away from the other hospital inmate,
atfording them restful seclusion. BE
ing somewhat Isolated IT can be KEEP
cleaner and sweeter, ana in as near
perfect condition as possible. Commu
nIcation with the main building will b
had by means of a narrow hall.
The triumph Of the entire buildin
q the pride of the surgical staff vii
be the two operating rooms, which Wi
entirely occupy the third floor. Tn
main operating room for abdomIns
surgery and all severe operations whic
are not suppuratlug Will occupy tn
south half OF the annex. IL will hsv
an outside exposure on three sides wit
three windows IN each side and larg
skyhght overhead, 30 that plenty &
light will como from every point. tn
modern germ theory teaches that a
cracks snd CrevIces are favorable 70
the support and continuation OF diseas
germs which lodge therein and pla
hide-and-seek with the unlucky ownc
OF gaping wound. In order 10 incor
vcnicncc these little tiends as much \
possible no angles will 10 left IN IN
walls whatever. but all will be softl
rounded.
Everything Curve.
. The base board Will curve IN fror
the floor and curve again 60 meet th
wall; the corners of the room will /
rounded aud the door aud window ca,
ings will present flat surfaces an
curved lines. With fine hard tnisbe
wall the room can be literally tloodc
with ant septcs and kept IA the bet
possible condition.. The floor will De q
J Georgia pine, winch. though thorough
. lmpregnated with pitch. an aniisepti
40 itreif, viii be covered every week q
two, or as often az needed. WITH ma
. iuTe of tnfpentlne snd psTsnne. Ia
floor will slant a little aud At its lowe
edge proper connections viii be mad
witn The sewer through goose necks. I
secure from iniecuon. There will /
nosnks water closets OF other plumi
ing near this room. those neCosssries b
ng located rs connection with tis -,
Ond operating room Ia short, th
p room viii lee made as sweet and gIea