Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-10
Excellent Work Of the Freedmen's
Hospital.
IMPROVEMENTS DURING THEPASTYEA
Additions to the Staff and the
Nurses School.
e E N E JUS s ERVI ICE

DANIEL II. Williams, Surgeon-in-chlef, to-
day made his annual report to the Secre-
tary Of the Interior on the management Of
the Freedmen's Hospital for the year end
Ing June 80. 1895. DR.. Williams has been
in charge less than a year, and at the out
get states that in mentioning the improve
ments that have gradually been introduced
during the past few years, undue credit
must surely not be given the present man
agement.
The hospital was established during the
last years Of the war by the freedmens
bureau. and was located in LIE Droit Park.
Washington, at that time a military city.
was the asylum for fleeing refugee negroes,
who were received and cared for here.
Sickness. disease and death among them
made the hospital a necessity. Congress
supported 1t by regular annual appropria-
tons, and in 1869 gave it the present site.
Owing to the name given the institution
for time the character and opportunity
of the hospital was underestimate, and it
was, perhaps. at a disadvantage with both
whites and the colored race. But the fos-
tering care of the government has firmly
established it with ample facilities and
service. The medical department of How
adds also to the efficiency of the institu-
ton.
The "Intcrnes."
During Dr. Williams administration
there has been added to the hospital the
feature known as '1nternes." corps of
young graduates of medical schools, who
serve in the line Of practical work fitting
them for their professional life. This sys-
tenn is modelled upon the practice OF all
the large hospitals in this country and
Europe. By it the student obtains practi-
cal skill and professional knowledge and
proficiency and the institution receives
services that In character and interest
could not be secured without very con-
siderable outlay in salaries. In the opera
| ton Of this service at the Freedmen's Hos
pital many young colored medical gradu-
| ates are fitting themselves for future la
| bors among their people. DR.. Williams
states that the system has worked sats-
| factorily and promises well for the future.
| 1t is his purpose to appoint annually by
means of competitive examinations such
| q number of 'interneS" as will be required
| by the net essities Of the work. These ap-
pointments are for one year and carry
with them a small allowance to cover
limited and economical living and personal
expense.
TreininE School for Nurses.
Another feature which has been under-
| taken during the year is the training school
| for nurses. This is in the same line of eff
| fort as the "ir ternes," and has for it's OBJ
ject the preparation of efficient scientific
| nurses. The work Of the nurse involves
1
prehersive knowledge is quite as import
| ant as the offices of the physician. This
| training school Is open to young color ed
| women who have graduated from the pub
| lie schools and colleges and have attained
the age and character that commend them
| to the consideration of the hospital author
| itics. This school is in charge of Miss
| Sarah C. Ebersole, a graduate Of the Illi-
nois Training School for Nurses, and Dr.
| Williams says her experience and splendid
| discipline have made the school COM
| plete success. The interest and hearty CO.
| operation manifested by Secretary Smith
| toward the hospital, especially in the mat
| ter of the "internes" and the training
| school for nurses, receives the hearty and
grateful Acknowledgements of DR.. Williams.
Ambulance Service.
There was also put in full operation this
year an ambulance system. This depart
| ment was fitted out in January, and is
equipped for emergency service, day and
night. An experienced inferno" accom-
panies the ambulance on each call, and on
the return reports, with his patient, to the
physician in charge. An average Of thirty
calls a month are made on the ambulance
| department. The ambulance used is Lot
all that could be desired but the Institution
hopes, through the kindly offices of the Dis
| trict Commissioners, to have new and
modern ambulance during the present year.
| The Hospital Stan.
The work of the hospital is classified into
the following departments: Medical. sur
gical, genealogical, obstetrical, dermato-
logical and genito-urinal diseases, throat
and chest pathological and meteorological.
In these several departments the work lie
done under the supervision Of a practical
staff of medical practitioners, who have
achieved a success in their professional
service. The members Of the staff are
misunderstanding physician, DR.. 7. B.
Hood; consulting physicians, Drs John E.
Bracket. q. n. Perry. s. R. Watts and
ehief Dr. Daniel H. Williams attendins
surgeons, Drs. E. A. Bolloch and N. F.
Graham. misunderstanding gyne.
cologist. DR.. ]. Taber johnson; attending
Eynecologfsts. DR.. F. J. Shadd and Dr.
Julia r. Hall. Notwithstanding OBJ
stetrician, DR.. Thomas c. Smith; attending
obstetricians. DR.. John r. Francis and DR.
urinal diseases. Drs. Robert Reyburn and
]. r. Wilder. Throat and chest-Dr. Louis
P. Smith. Pathological, Drs. d. S. and J.
NJ. Lamb. Bacteriological-Dr.W w. W. AL
| legar. The generous service Of these ply.
sicians is entirely voluntary and without
compensation.
; The action of the Secretary of the In
terror in preventing the location Of a ware
fer contagious diseases in the Freedmen,
Hospital is alluded to with an expression
| of thankful approval, On the ground tina
such action would have seriously interferet
| with the work Of the hospital and hav,
| been a serious hardship to its inmates.
DR.. Williams recommends the appoint
| ment of a warden superintendent in ad
dition to the surgeon-in-chief, the duties o.
such an officer to be the oversight Of tn,
| business affairs of the hospital.
New Building Needed.
He also urges provision for a new mod
ern brick building. equipped for all tn
work Of a hospital The present franz
buildings are scattered from the mail
building and are inconvcnient in use. Thu
cost of such new building is estimated a
$4,000. AMI its equipment at $4,000. DR.
Williams also suggests that provision
should be made for the residence of tn
surgeon-ilr chief at the hospital. Durin,
the year he has been called over one hun
dred times to go to the hospital between
t the hours of 8 pm. and am, and th
demonstrates that to be Of practical bene
| fit the su1geon-in-chief should be requires
, to live ir the institution. In the even
that new building cannot be assured, !
is asked that steam heating be provide'