Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
THE OPERATING AMpHITHEATRE.

APARTMENT "You will observe that the
bods and furniture are exactly IKE that
in the other rooms. except the peas are
smaller nnd some Of them are Cribs. A
chilGren's ward is one Of the features
about q general hospital, and IN addition
10 the ordinary furniture II Is supplied
with toys. picture-books. and other Things
for the amusement OF the little sufferers
GONE this way and | will show you
the colored ward which r. divided into
two Departments. one for the males ana
the other for females. and while Nir-
ginians do not believe In social equality,
you viii notice that the furniture In the
colored wards even 10 the best grade
of hair mattress, is exactly the same as
YOU see in the private rooms. Indeed,
il is more necessary that this department.
should be thoroughly aseptc Gree from
disease germs than any Other.
"Of course. n general hospital Is d.
viled into departments. The surslcai
cases are put in rooms and wards specl-
ally provided for them, while medical
cases are in another department. In this
institution the lower floor Is reserved for
men. the upper floor being reserved for
women and children, which makes tha
Woman's department very private.
"There are no infectious cases OF any
kind received into the hospital, ana the
most stringent antiseptic precautions are
taken with every room in the house 10
prevent any contamination OF one patent
by another"
PREPARING FOR SURGICAL WORK.
AT this juncture the reporter inter-
rupted the Doctor and asked to be SHOWN
the operating-room. At the mention or
This room the Doctor smiled as though
The name Of his best girl had been called,
and oheerfully invited the reporter 10 a
seat in the elevator. saying: we VIII
20 up and take a look at II.
Arriving on the opcratinS-foom noor'
the Doctor said: THE first room ! show
Won IS the surgeons drSssng-room, Tor
before each operation the surgeon re-
moves all OF his outer clothing ana puts
on a suit of white duck canvas SHOES
with rubber soles. and a gauze cap. The
object Of changing his clothing Is TWO
fold. Fret. that his own clothes may not
become solled, and second. that he may
not infect the patient and II is the GUS
tom in this hospital TO even sterillze by
steaming for an hour, the DUCK SUITS
the surgeon and his assistants are 10
wear. The next room Is the supply-room'
where bandages are rolled and the dress-
ings made and the sponges prepared IN
struments boiled and everything IS stefi-
lied. may explain that 'sponges
mean not only the ordinary kind. but
also pieces Of prepared raw cotton ana
gauze.
"ro sterlize Is TO make free from germs
or bacteria. There are several ways OF
doing this. Instruments are steriiiZed
by boiling for five minutes In solution
of washing-soda. The sutures. gauZe
sponees. dressings. suits towels. etc,
arc sterilized by steam. They are put into
a metal box, under which there is shall
low layer OF water. which Is heated into
steam by gas flame.
NOTHING FREE FROM GERMS.
"Niooern research has shown that
eyervthing--our clothing, our hands. the
air we breathe. and. indeed. everything
else not specially sterilized-is covered
with germs. or. more properly speak
ins, bacteria; for 1t has been shown that