Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-17

advice should be unhesitatingly accepted
upon many subjects, of which they alone
are capable of passing judgment such, for
instance, as the choice of physicians to fill
vacancies in the medical staff, selection of
assistants and general supervision Of in
ternal arrangement and management, that
can only be intelligently performed by men
whose scientific training and knowledge fit
them for the duty.
The Ideal Hospital.
THE ideal hospital, and fortunately there
are some such, to my mind is one which
forms part Of one great whole of thor
oughly equipped medical college. OF which
the faculty should constitute The staff, all
being under the control and supervision of
a board of governors of the university, of
which the college should be a branch. AS
the selection for faculty appointments is
always made with great care AMI discrimi-
nation in order to procure the best availa-
Die teaching material the hospital would
be, in the same way, provided with corps
OF coworkers of unquestionable ability and
fitness for clinical work, which is the high
est and most eXacting of our duties In
addition to this there would be the advan-
tage of an unfailing supply of new life and
energy in the young men who are now con-
nected with all medical schools special
lecturers and teachers upon subjects to
which they contemplate devoting their life
work. They would be thoroughly trained
to the duties of their new position and ever
ready and willing to supplant their seniors
whenever the eXigencies required.
"A system with the main features resem-
bling this, which has already proved the
best, must eventually be adopted by all
schools which hope to retain their reputa-
ton or existence, for all recognize the fact
that hospital treatment is rapidly replac-
ing the old method of didactic instruction,
and every year we feel more and more the
rnrp Of
vision for the new demands, and nowhere,
perhaps is this want more keenly felt than
in our own city. But the difficulties to be
encountered before such an arran cement
can be accomplished to our satisfaction are
unqueStionably great, If not entirely beyond
any probabilities that are now apparent.
Those who are familiar with the great
hospitals of Europe and America can COM
pare their relative merits, and they must
experience a feeling of national as well
professional, pride at the rapid development
and present efficiency of many Institutions
in our largest cities. Indeed, 1t VIII be adj
mitted that in construction, equipment and
management they are unsurpassed by any
others in the world, for which, almost with
out exception, thanks are due to the
thoughtful generosity of private citizens.
Such a should be here in the capital
of the nation. and model of its kind in
architectural proportions to harmonic with
its palatial surroundings and rich IN all
the appliances and furnishings comnensu-
rate with the great nations wealth and
power"
Dr. Thompson remarked that it was evil
dent to those who had examined the records
that this was a very healthy community
when this country was young, or that those
in authority were sadly indifferent to the
physical welfare of the resident population.
1t seems rather remarkable that here, at
the seat Of government and rapidly grow
ing city, there was no provision made for
| the care of the impoverished sick before
the year 1874. except the few beds furnished
i hue 10 ~lS
| west between 9th and 7th streets. 1t is
gratifying to know that the leading physi-
| clans and many prominent citizens were
| active and Jealous for many years in their
| efforts to procure the necessary legislation
| for the establishment of such an institution
| as the city sorely needed, but their labors
had been all in vain down to the date men,
toned, when sudden and accidental turn
OF fortune enabled them to carry out their
| design.
| The First General Hospital.
Congress was induced by a pressing ne
cessty to make an appropriation of $4,000
for the conversion of the old jail in Judi
| cfary Square into an insane asylum but
after the necessary changes were COM
| pleted 1t was found unsuited, particularly
| on account of its central location, for the
purposes intended: and it was at this pro-
pitious moment that the medical faculty
of the Columbian University appealed to
| Congress for the transfer to them of the
building for hospital and other purposes
winch, being granted, they opened to the
pubic without delay, our first general hos
pital.
In the year 1861 the government took
possession of the building for the use OF
| the army, shortly after which it was
entirely destroyed by fire. "The decade
| from 1861 to ISL" he said, was an era
in our national history, rich in momcntous
events, whose influences were felt in every
md -
was the heart and center of the great
struggle and the theater in which was en-
acted the drama of war. and in its per-
romance the medical profession played a
| conspicuous role. Hospitals in great num-
Der and of great proportions We're hastily
| erected In various parts of the city and
our medical men became intensely absorbed
in the field of duty most congenial to their
| tastes and capabilities.
But in the decade mentioned there is
much that more nearly concerns us than
the trials and glories of the past for dur
Ing that period were organized and estab-
ished upon an enduring basis almost al
the institutions that are now in active
operation, whose histories are interesting
but must be briefly told. Providence. Co.
lumb!a, Children's, Freedman's and the
Emergency all fall within the ten years
the Garfield appearing upon the scene a
little later
The speaker alluded to st. Elizabeth's OF
the Government Hospital for the Insane a.
| III ana all tnat pertains TO tn.
| welfare Of the special class of patients on,
| of the model establishments of the world
"Of those mentioned in the list" he said
"as of Importance to the present genera tior
| the Providence Hospital comes first as t
time and Is second to none in the position 4
has so long occupied in this community. 1t.
| origin was in 1862 and was due to the help
less condition, as regards civil hospitals. O
| the city after the loss of the 1nfirmary tn,
year previous, there not being one to TAX,
it's place or meet the emergency, which wa
most keenly felt. The Sisters of Charity
taking advantage of the opportune moment
own and lost no time in carrying OUT the
olson mansion on Capitol Hill for n coupl
of years and then secured by purchase tn
present site. to which they s<9l afterwar,
moved. after erecting a frarit building t,
the east Of the old three-story house which
stood at the southeast cOrr,er of "a and
streets southeast. This ground, and mUcl
more than the original PURCHASERS now Gov
cred by the large and handsome bull ling G
the present time.
Il have not the time, / think my allow
ance is about already expired, to give here
a detailed account of this hospital or any
others, for l am now struck by the truth o
the remark of a friend, when l told him
was expected to give the histories of th'
hospitals of Washington in twenty minutes
Why he said. with your best team YOU
couldn't drive around and look at them il
that time
Our Hospitals Compare Favorably.