The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-02-27
a Reorganization \. Of the Free Clinic at
St. vincent's Hospital.
A SPLENDID AND VALUABLE CHARITY
Number of Physicians Kncreaseai from
Five to Seventeen, Thus Enlargins
the scope Of the Clinics Usefulness
What IIas Been Done-RuIes For.
mulated-Thc departments.

p Ooii iS lHe past lour OF i've years DrS.
Gwathmey, Leigh, Palmer, Sayers anu
Payne have been doing q splendid work
In q free clinic for the poor at st. Vim
cents hospital, the work being done un-
der the title of THE Out Door Depart
ment of ST. Vincent's hospital"
In that time an enormous amount of
good has been done by these gentlemen
with the splendid cooperation Of the
authorities of the institutions, who have,
of course, general supervision of the
clinic In addition to furnishing rooms
free and prescription for q merely nom
inal sum.
It has been q labor of love with these
physicians, and the task was q heavy
one larger, indeed than they could cope
with
THE FIRST STEPS TAKEN.
With q view to charging the use
fulness of the free clinic and dividing
the burden more eQuitably, n number OF
prominent Norfolk physicians got to-
gether last October and drew up the
following paper:
I'VE, the undersigned physicians. in
terested in the welfare Of st. Vincent's
hospital, believing the reorganization Of
the clinic would be to the interest OF the
hospital. respectfully recommend that
1t be done and hereby offer our services
to that end"
Edward e. Field Alfred c. Palmer,
Rufiin, John T. Woodward, j. C. Byrnes.
). lett Mccormick. J. r. Speight, Junius
f. Lynch, j. u. Burgess, Jas G. Rid
dick, w. S. Payers, IS. A. Sutton and
Charles r. Vance"
This paper was addressed to Sister Isl
dore Kenny, Sister Superior of st. Vim
cents, who, in reply, wrote asking the
physicians to meet and formulate their
plans. This was done and an advisory
board was elected to take charge Of all
matter pertaining TO reorganization
and management Of the clinic. It was
composed or Drs. Field, Ruffin, Gwnth-
mey, Palmer and Payne
These proving acceptable to the au-
thorites the board met and elected
DIR. Field chairman and DR. Palmer,
secretary.
RULES FORMULATED
Late in January, then the physicians
met and formulated Il set Of rules gov
erning the routine and methods OF the
clinic. The first two are Of interest to
the public
l. The daily clinic shall be general
medicine. all other clinics shall be open
on alternate days Except Sunday, and
regular holidays), or three time q week,
except during the months OF May, June
and July, when a daily clinic shall be
held for children.
2 The hours Of the clinic shall be from
- = - ii-t anu ldllcnl. shall he
admitted after 3 D. m
FIVE DEPARTMENTS.
1t was decided to divide the clinic in
to the following departments:
Gynecology-Drs. Gwathmey, Ruffin
and Shepherd
Surgery-Drs. Leigh. Field, Payne and
Mccormick.
General Medicine-Drs. Lynch, Baker,
Sutton and Sayers.
Eye. Ear, Nose and Throat-Drs.
Palmer. Woodward and Driver.
Disease of Children-Drs. James G.
Riddick, Newbin and Vance
The free clinic is only for the benefit
OF those who are too poor to pay for
treatment, and extreme care is exercised
that the valuable charity thus extend
ed may not be abused
The work Of the reorganized clinic
has practically Just begun and the va
rious departments have entered upon
their duties. The clinics year will how
ever date from January 1st