Evening star., 1896-12-24
fREEDMENS AMBULANCE
It Can Respond to a Call in Thirty
Seconds.
One of the Rest Equipped Hospital
Emergency Outfits fs Maintained
at Freedmen's Hospital.

The officials of the Freedmen's Hospital
claim that not only is the ambulance serv.
ice OF the hospital one of the best in the
District, but they also contend that it is
one of the best In the country. And, more
than that, they assert that, with perhaps
the single exception of those of New York
city. their ambulance responds to calls in
less time than those Of any other city.
The ambulance service of Freedmen S
Hospital has already been described in The
Star. That was done several months ago
but since then, through the efforts of DR..
Daniel H. Williams, the surgeon-in-chief of
the hospital, the ambulance has been housed
in neat frame structure, the doors of
which open directly on the street a short
distance from 7th street. Through the kind
ness of Chief Paris of the District fire
department, and Foreman Wagner of en-
gine company No. Z. the house has been
furnished with many devices similar to
those in the fire department for facilitate
Ing the prompt response of the companies
to alarms The ambulance house is one
story structure, and was erected by the
hospital patients, under the direction Of DIR.
Williams, about the only expense being for
lumber. !.
Like Fire Patrols.
AS in fire department houses, the vehicle
is backed into the house from the street.
1t Is drawn by but one horse, and the ami
NAL stands in a stall to the side, and a lit-
tie back of the ambulance the shafts of
the vehicle being raised and held up when
the horse is unhitched by means of cords
running on pulleys suspended from the
roof. The harness is also suspended in like
manner. The horse stands facing the door
of his stall, the door being held closed by
staple similar to those used in the fire
department houses. The horse wears a
halter also similar to those used in the fire
department, but neither the staple nor the
halter Is released by an electrical arrange
ment. Therefore, it is necessary for the
driver of the ambulance to release the
staple. and also unhitch the horse before
the animal can run out of his STALL all of
which Is done by electricity in the fire de-
partment. s.- l1ai,
The ambulance house is connected to the
hospital by wire, while the hospital is
connected by telephone with police head
quarters, and all other departments Of the
phone service also, of course, gives the
general public a connection with the hos
pital. So call for the ambulance can be
mace by telephone at any time of the day
or night. The moment a call is made a
bell is rung in the ambulance house
Quick Work.
The driver, If the call is made at night,
is thereby aroused from his bed, which
stands in the house. If, made in the day
time the driver is close at hand, for he is
not allowed to leave it day or night. Upon
the ringing of the bell the driver, William
Ward, young colored man, at once pulls
out the staple of the door of the stall,
and strong springs throw it wide open and
hold II in place. Then he releases the
halter and the horse runs to his place, be-
tween the suspended shafts.
The harness Is quickly dropped upon his
back and snapped together, and then the
drivers, he reaches up and
pulls rope. The pull releases certain
springs attached to the great doors of the
house. and they swing wide open and are
held in place. While the horse is being
hitched up the doctor, who always accom-
panies the ambulance, has run down from
the hospital Office, and, as the vehicle
dashes out on the street, he springs to his
place.
In Half n Minute.
1t had been claimed by the hospital au-
thorities that their ambulance could be
gotten out of the house in half minute
after the bell was rung. So confident were
they of this that DR.. Williams some time
ago invited a Star reporter to visit the hos
pital and make an investigation. A few
Jays ago the invitation was accepted, and,
after being shown through the ambulance
mousse, test was made at the reporters
request. The driver was made to stand
several feet away from the horses STALL
and then the bell was rung, while the re-
porter. watch In hand, timed the operation,
In some way one of the pulley ropes
caught in the pulley. That caused a loss
Of several seconds, and when the ambu-
lance dashed out into the street, lust thir-
ty-hve seconds had elapsed SINCE the pell
raI g. The driver claimed that he was en-
titled TO another trial, because of the hitch
In the pulley ropes, and il was given un-
der precisely the same conditions No
hitch occurred on tile second attempt and,
when the ambulance left the house. lust
twenty-nine seconds had elapsed since the
ringing OF the bell, and the claim of the
hospital authorities that their ambulance
could be sent on its way in half minute
had been made good. with a second to
spare.
Well Equipped.
The ambulance is one of the best equipped
ones to be found anywhere, and no call for
it, day or night, is refused. 1t is generally
that when it is called the injured
are always carried to Freedmen's Hospital.
Ihis, explained Dr. Williams, is mistake,
for the driver and doctor accompanying the
ambulance have directions to always
respect the wishes of the injured as to-
where they desire to be carried or treated
1t is the hope of the hospital authorities to
be soon enabled to supply the house with
electrical appliances, similar to those in use
In the fire department houses, SO that the
ringing Of the call bell will Instantly re-,
lea Sc the horse. When that Is done much
time, now necessarily lost, will be saved,
ard then, they assert. the ambulance can
be sent on its errand Of mercy and relief
in fourth of a minute. When that is
dCre Washington will be behind no city in
the matter. In speaking of the assistance
rendered the hospital by Chief Paris and
Foreman Wagner, DIR. Williams said the
hospital authorities deeply appreciate their
kindness and took much pleasure in ac-
1t.