Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-06
THE DAISY CHAIN.
Funds on Hand for a Contagious Dis
ease Hospital.

Funds on Hand for a OntaRious Dis
ease Hospital.
The Daisy Chain Guild held meeting
yesterday afternoon at the Woman's Club
to consider the matter of the establishment
of a contagious diseases hospital, and also
the question of what to do with the funds
which have been raised by the guild for
the purpose of endowing such a hospital.
BY it's fairs and bazaar the children have
managed to raise a sum Of money which
has been wisely invested and, with accrued
interest, now amounts to slO,352. The many
set-backs which the movement to provide
such hospital has received has served as
a wet blanket to the enthusiasm of the
children, so that from a membership of
upward of 400 a year ago only about twen-
ty attended the meeting yesterday after
noon.
Every time site has been select I'd for
the hospital for the treatment Of minor
contagious the guild has stood ready to aid
it with liberal funds but every time some
objection has been raised to the site, so
that today the hospital seems no nearer to
hand than 1T was years ago, and the ques-
ton naturally arose as to what the guild
should do with the money in its possession.
Mrs Archibald Hopkins presided at The
meeting and spoke of the urgent need of a
hospital in this city. All the efforts of the
guild had been negatiyed and it was now
problem whether its work should be con-
of the fund had been spent during the past
winter to aid the Children's Hospital, ard
she read notes from the board of managers
of that institution thanking the children
sincerely for their timely assistance.
Health Officer Woodward was present at
the meeting, and he was called Ipon by
Mrs. Hopkins to speak upon the subject.
DIR. Woodward said that the power which
has prevented the erection of hospital has
not been either the sentiment aroused by
the physicians of the city or the real senti-
ment of the public but hysterical- fear
that has been aroused on purpose by the
men who are interested in Washington real
estate and are afraid of having their land
values deprecated. This fear was utterly
groundless, said DR.. Woodward. for SO emf
nent an authority as DIR. Billings had stated
that the width of a street was sufficient
with well-conducsSd hospital of this sort
to remove all grounds fer fear of con-
tagion.
The suggestion that a contagious ward
be fitted up at the Children's Hospital was
made by Mrs. Hopkins, but DR.. w. w.
Johnston opposed this most earnestly, and
said that he thought the establishment of
a contagious ward in a hospital de voted to
small children was one of the most danger
Gus things in the world.
1t was impossible to get much satisfac-
ton from the physicians present, although
they heartily Endorsed the work of the
guild and urged that it continue.
DIR. Kerr of the Emergency Hospital took
the ground that there was no real danger
If minor contagious are treated in a separ-
ate ward in any hospital In the course Of
his remarks he said: Il do not believe that
the people of Washington will ever let
contagious hospital be built inside the city,
which is the only place it would be of any
real value. Therefore. 1 would recommend
that every hospital should be compelled to
maintain contagious ward for it's own
and outside cases. If this were done the
crying need for a special contagious hos
pital would be very largely relieved. OF
course a separate building is desirable. but
when that cannot be had you can fit up
the top story of hospital with a separate
outside stairway and isolate 1t as complete
ly as though it were on the next block"
The whole question was discussed at
length by the meeting, without any very
definite conclusions being reached. The
members Of the Daisy Chain Guild, how
ever, decided not to disband, but to con-
tinue the good work; and a spring market,
on the plan of the orc held so successfully
last spring, will probably be given the lat
ter part OF this month or early in May.