The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-04

, eastern cities. IL the question were IN
location OF factory or a mercdh'iic rs
[ tablshment, II might be truly sald ina
r the centre Of any community Is the prhl
!, cipal seat Of it's business interest bu
| when the discussion concerns the iocd
: tion OF a Hospital. we are conpe"eu Z
! ask how the cost and fatigue OF 'he Jour
ney from the sick mans home 10 the III
, stitution may be most aleVlateu fo
! all points west OF the medan line or tn
State the University is beyond oaVli IN
more accessible. If two hospitals coul'
be endowed By the State, then Woui'
Richmond be In many ways a M ioca'ioi
for one which might serve our eastern
and southeastern countries. but !
only one can be afforded that one shoul'
be centrally located. unless other con
sideraticns imperatiyely forbid. Inc pom
IS TO cost OF maintenance may De als
missed more briefly: any sensible mar
must see that as respects the cost ol
medical and surgical supplies. fuel hshts
and groceries. the two sites are on par
while for the purchase Of milk. Dut'er
eggs poultry. and butchers meats, anl
for the wages Of common labor the coul-
try neiChborhood has the advantage. II
does not seem necessary 10 quote prices
although II desired it may be done
Passing by these points. which seem 100
|
] come 10 what I'm the eyes OF all thought
ful persons is the real claim Of Richmond
as a site for the Hospital-the enllnence
OF the head Of the surgical staff or the
! Virginia Hospital and the eXceheht
! professional standing Of MS as
sOciates. The force Of this calm We
chcerfuliy and cordially acknowledge al
though the claim Of vast experience III
the practical treatment Of diseases seems
81. N...fHHI q
certain Of the members Of that stan, VINO
| but lately bore off GRADUATING honors
from the Medical School OF this University.
But. Mr.. Editor. was II necessary for "A
Nirglnian' In stating this claim 10 be-
| little the Just merits Of his old teachers?
One OF them declined but short time
agO an invitation to occupy "a chair IN
the Medical Department Of the University
OF Michigan. although il carried the IL
rectorship Of the medical side OF the state
Hospital there: he is q member OF the
most exclusive medical societies Of Amer
lea. has lately been selected as one Of the
writers Of an important forthcoming work
on Therapeutics. and IS ona Of the only
two southern physicians who have been
invited to contribute to the international
Clinics"
Which Of the eighteen "specialists' OF
the Virginia Hospital can present claims
upon our confidence superior 10 those OF
this so-calIed amateur? one of his as
sociates has given much attcrton 10 the
diseases Of the eve. ear. and throat. and
has large practice In this specially. An
other is n Patholocist. trained I'm the best
European laboratories. who for q year had !
responsible charge Of the division 81 the |
New Orleans Charity Hospital FOR the /
treatment of nervous diseases. Another J
Is skilled Psychologist who would not /
be upon the Hospital staff. but would put |
ut its command his personal service |
and the resources Of the best Bioocical |
laboratory in the South. Another Is
Chemist whose unrivaled skill may be
called on i'm the same way. and who 10y
Ions experience In administrative capaci-
ties has earned the ungrudging conf
dence OF his associates upon questions Of
practical detail. IN addition. I am au-
thorized 10 state that any calls upon the
medical profession of Charlottesville will
be responded % with alacrity. The sole
weakness Of the University is her lack
OF an eminent surgeon. This is admitted
frankly. Our opponents say. you have
no surgeon and therefore must not re-
ceive the hospital" The reply-obyious
to the meanest intellieelce-is. give us
the hospital and we will procure the sur
geon. Without the hospital we could
|
he right man" II il is desirable that
his University should have an eminent
surgeon In her faculty. fact which no
me can question-then do We appeal by
iouhle claim for the location OF the State
Hospital at this point
] approach with reluctance the series Of
opics which will conclude this reply. The
irst of these is the comparative sanitary
condition Of the University OF Virginia
nj af Nt..t... 4
1ral letter our faculty purporely avoided
eference 10 the local sanitation OF that
ity, not from any fears as 10 the result
I a conn arison, but because they felt
rat the point was not Of primary import
nd one which II would seem ungraCiOus
q US 20 raise Nor should we now open
he N after unless your cOrro-noudont had !
orced 1t upon us by asserting Of the Tn
-emity that "the frequent epidemics 4
hitch have occurred show that its water q
upply or sewerage is far from perfect" I
he epidemics Of which he speaks are {
Didemlcs OF typhoid and II may be I'M {
csitatingly asserted that this disease has
ever been epidemic on the grounds OF q
ne University since the Introduction OF I
npervious sewerage in 1855. Sporadic cases1 d
rise. usually not more than two or three {
year. and those generally imported. | i
vice In that period polluted milk sup
~ has caused an outbreak, always small
nd promptly checked. The one TO which
2 refers was Of this nature and was due
no fault I'm either water-supplv or Il
werage. The article from which he II
totes clearly reveals the fact. and the =
flowing extract from ii sufficiently eX- o
'ses the partisan use TO which il has II
en put Perhaps before going further,
should mention that the water-supply Of p.
2 University is perfect ia all respects -,
ID the system Of sewerage is excellent" -.
On the ether hand. Mr.. Editor. what IS i,
e true condition of Richmond 1 am ~
formed that in respect Of the death .,
lie there are but three cities OF its size "
the United States which are worse.
Is public water-supply is notoriousty tn
lluted and remediable only NJ enormous b,
pense. It's private water-suTply IS itl
rise, witness the water used q few years ST
o by Dr. Mcclure for his family and in
patients, which upon examination by IN
npetcnt chemists Ignorant of the d.
irce from which the sample examined m
ne) was demonstrated 20 be seriously
Illuminated. Its plumbing laws are adj -,
tied TO be bad and impOteut TO secure IN
ID work. Serious cpidemics Of diph- ud
ria and typhoid have recently and 10
eatedly prevailed and the following IN
'tation from the last official publica III
4 Of the State Board OF Health shows lol
consensus Of sound medical opinion I'd
IN the case: or
lhat typhoid fever prevails in IT'S eF
zeal as wei as atpylcal forms In this ma
lkichmond) is mdisputable. II Is =
eihlc ana at times has been epidemic % ~