St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-01-19
BELLEVUE HOSPITAL.
A walk Through its Wards and Visit
to the ChiIdren's Department..
fCorrespOndence of the c AIRDoNIAN1


TO the ChiIdren's Department.
Correspondence of the CALIFORNIAN
New YORK CITY, Jan. "A visit to
a large hospital like Bellevue cannot
fail to be of interest. This institu-
ton is situated between Goth and
2Sth streets and the grounds extend
from First avenue on one side to
East River on the other. The build
ing is massive stone structure with
numerous wings and ellis, all of
which facilitate ventilation. The
center of the building is surmounted
by large glass dome, beneath which
is the amphitheatre where surgical
operations are performed, while
around on the smaller wings are
towers and cupolas OF varying size
and design, the whole making
handsome structure. This is city
institution and is in the immediate
charge of a warden, who is. appoint
ed by the department df public char
tiles. There are four principal floors,
all alike, and each one is divided into
wards About six thousand patients
are treated here annually.
A walk through the wards will
dispel all ones ideas that a hospital
is a dirty place. The stairs and
hardwood floors actually shine, SO
clean are they scrubbed. The walls
are whitewashed and adorned with
here and there picture. The cot
beds arranged around the rooms are
faultless IN their appearance. Hos
pital floors cannot be carpeted, for
they would catch and retain too
many poisonous germs, but even the
bare floors are paradise to a
majority Of the patients who are
treated here, coming as they do
from homes of filth and squalor and
misery. 10 these, the nurses fitting
mere and there on their errands of
mercy, comforting a physical pain
tor one and soothing some mental
anguish for another, seem ike angels
from heaven. Theirs is indeed a
noble mission aud many heartfelt
God bless you" is heard from a
grateful patient.
The chlldren's ward is the place
which has the greatest attraction for
me. 1t is situated at the extreme
eastern end of one of the wings, and
lsa large, airy, well lighted room,
looking out upon East River, where
the first rays of the morning sun
awaken the little sufferers within.
This department is presided over
by a good'natured, motherly nurse,
and her little charges vary from Is
to 20 in number. Gpaid it visit
the other day and found the nurse
very talkative and ready to show
me around. There were 1 9 that dav.
The first crib held little six.year-
Ola boy with fractured leg There
he lay in splints, unable to move
eating his dinner OF chicken and pick.
ing the bones with childish plee.
The next held little seven.vear.old
boy on whom an operation had lust
been performed for club foot. He
was then regaining consciousness
from the anaesthetic and was CRYING
because of the pain. On the next Law
httle girl, not over six years old.
suffering from disease of the spine
Lying there in an extension splint
uhaole TO move except her arms. she
was the embodiment of cheerfulness
ana good nature. There were MANY
others, some for broken limbs
'thers for joint diseases, and still
others for all the various ailments
winch children are heir to. A little
habe eight days old was there he
cured of hare lip, and the operation
was successfully performed the fol-.
lowing day.
The most interesting case, how.
eyer, was that of a little conpeu;tal
iai"t. lie came into the hospital for
broken arm and during his sick.