New-York tribune., 1897-11-01
WOMEN ALWAYS ON GUARD.
THE FLOWER HOSPITALS AUXILIARY
BOARD CHECKS CARELESSNESS.
NO ROOM FOR sLovENLY METHODS WHILE
MRS. HELMUTH's ASSISTANTS KEEP THEIR
EYES OPEN-THEY RAISE CASH TO MEET


HALF THE ANNUAL EXPENSES.
The Woman's Guild of the Flower Hospital had
a preliminary m 'etlng last week. and the project
OF opening nurses training school in that in
stitution was discussed briefly. preparatory to
bringing It up formally AT the regular meeting OF
the Guild Board.
There is public institution in New-York In
which the Womens Auxiliary Board is recognized
as such a prominent and powerful factor IN the
management as In the Flower Hospital
To Dr. T. F. Allen. Ex-Governor flowers ply
sician, is due the idea Of the hospital but the
Womans Guild was active from the start In making
that idea a reality The first meeting was called
by Mrs William rod Hemuth. at her own resi-
dence, and there the plans for great fair were
devised and money was solicited from persons Of
| wealth and prominence. Since that time the
Womans Guild has defrayed One-half of the an
nual expenses of the institution. The entire drec-
ton of the domestic affairs of the hospital is in
charge Of the guild Every department that would
come under feminine direction in individual house
holds Is superintonded by the Womens Board.
This includes culinary service. good order and
cleanliness the purchase and issue of furniture.
supplies and provisions and domestic service.
WORK OF THE HOSPITAL.
The Flower Hospital is a great building Of red
brick that towers above its surroundings at Sixty
fourth-st and Avenue \. The faces of the mem
bers of the Womans Guild familiar 10 the
patients. for there Is not day but one or more
members of the committees .ook in upon them
Mrs William Tod Helmuth II president of the
guild and has been continuously. with the eXcep-
ton Of a few months of i'll health. ever since the
man OF the Executive Committee; Mrs sidney r.
Wilcox is recording secretary. anG Mrs. Alfred
dents are Mrs. Henry Kunhardt Mrs. r. p. FIoWer'
Mrs. r r Alien Mrs Rufus B C9wingd; MIS- Mrs
Robert Ptkan. These ladies', with large lsS doa od
active members. are on various committees Inere
iS a Visiting IL
Domestic Committee. Ways and Means Com;
mit;ee Sewing Committee and Purchase ana
The woman's Guild assumes the financial re.
sponsbi.ity for all that comes under its managee-
nient" said the president. Mrs Hemuth. This
demands an expenditure OF 800 per month"; We
guild members are most generous with funds given
outright, and then We solicit from our charitable
agreeable results always forthcoming. We nave
a butcher who sends US half Of sheep every week,
with generous donations.
ASKING FOR HOLIDAY DONATIONS.
AT Thanksgiving and Christmas time We send
out two thousand capaciOus bags as gentle re-
minder that expecting a holiday remem-
brance. In these donations receive all sorts OF
things imaginable, from barrels OF -four, turkeys
and puddngs, clothing and furniture and books;
Last Christmas one of the members or the guild
supplied herself with a quantity OF small presents
There was for every ward, and each gift was
marked with the name OF its recipient These trees
were smuggled into the wards between ) ana !
O'Clock in the morning. when every one was sleeping
soundly. The scene when the trees were lighted, 1
children. was pathetic in the extreme; II was a
awakened many recollection in the hearts Of the
nvalids for whJm the greeting was prepared
Just what the women have done in the Flower
n ing is spotless. The beds are snowy white. so are
the nurses caps and aprons. \ Tribune reporter
was conducted through the great laundry, where
tho mangle was turning out posned iinei. ana ana
to the comfort Of the patients.
Last year" said the superintendent. Amzi Lake
"therc were 29ii patients admit sd to the hospital.
This year the number viii increase to 1000. The
@ G nnd Of that Rf ngmber % were S fes
OF charge: That left only 2i9 days for pay pa
ritory OF ambulance service extends from
Forty-second-st 10 Fifty-ninth. and from Sixth
ave. to the East River.
COST OF TREATING PATIENTS
Its costs 81 per day to care for patient in the
tho free wards; indeed. that money scarcely pays
for the simple service they receive irrespective. OF
course. OF scientific treatment Where patients
in the free wards able pay 81 per day. we
expect them 70 do 50. Sometimes take patient
from private room for which they are able 10
pay the required fee. and place them In the open
ward for their own benefit Loneliness vii. often
make them so low spirited that II initiates against
The superintendent led the way into operating
theatre fashion. With rows OF seats on an incline
to the very ceiling. Here the clinics held. The
male medical ward, which was furnished by Mrs.
Henry Kundhardt runs parallel with he East River
over which its windows open. Mrs kundhardts
donation TO the hospital was sl5C(0 in addition to
building tho stone wall and iron railing that sur
round the building.
The woman's medical ward is on the floor above.
and also runs parallel with the river This was
ioor are nine private rooms each one Of which
IS named for the woman who furnished It, and IS
designated by a bright brass plate engraved with
the name OF tho donor. In these rooms artistic
rugs. draperles ana furniture preclude any sug-
Gestion of hospital environment. The tinted wall.
are hung with cngravings In handsome frames. and
there are easy chairs and WELT filled book shelves
OF these beautiful rooms" said Mr.. Lake "but that
is n nominal sum compared with the expenses
Of Illness in a hotel or even in private house.
For there are two nurses 10 be employed and the
physicians visits and prescriptions soon run the
yeniences required and the emergencies that are
constantly arising
THE ENDOWMENTS
Tho sum OF 5000 endows a bed in the hospital
I'm perpetulty; or If the donor desires. annual
payment OF $50 will support a bed. The actual en-
dowments consist Of the ogden Fund. So 400: the
Flower Fund. $1,000 and sundry others. $500"
The maternity ward is one OF the peasantest
rooms in the building. and into the childrens ward
the sunlight finds its way through windows on two
sides. The pale faces Of the children light up as
though being III was not such severe trial, after
all
hfty members The Executive Committee consists
OF Mrs Elijah T. sherman chairman: Mrs: J.
Montfort schey, Mrs. s.: Clair Smith; Mrs. ". $.
Mrs F. T. Doughty. Mrs. =. II; Weaiherbee. Mrs.
Joseph Howard jr, and Mrs Frank Fuller
At the meetings of the Board OF Trustees, of
which judge Rufus B. Cowng is president and ex-
Governor Flower treasurer there are always pres
ent three members OF the Woman's Guild